Muldoon
by coldfusion9797
Summary: Robert Muldoon survives the raptor attack to discover he is the only human left on Isla Nublar, and that he is not the only sole survivor of a species once found there.
1. Chapter 1

Impossible. That was the first thought Robert Muldoon had when he slowly opened his eyes. How was it that he wasn't dead? That raptor should've ripped him to shreds. For a moment he thought his vision was failing him, but no, it was just falling darkness, he must've lain here for hours. Priorities. Having no way to know where the raptors were, he tried to forget them and assess his wounds. If they wanted him dead, he would be. With difficultly, fighting pain, he managed to pull himself into a sitting position. His left shoulder was the worst. The big one had savaged him fairly well, deep tears marred his flesh, limiting his movement, though whether that was due to damage, or just the initial pain, only time would tell.

He'd been seriously scratched by a lion once, and he knew now that's all it had been, a scratch; the felines claws were toys compared to these raptor weapons. His gut had several puncture wounds from her talons, his life slowly leaking out of them. Perhaps it was best not to study the damage too closely until he had a chance of fixing it.

One thing was for certain, sitting here in the jungle wasn't going to help. He needed to get up, needed to move, find his way back to the emergency bunker. He had no idea where the raptors were but he couldn't stay here. If they didn't kill him blood loss quite possibly would. Muldoon hauled himself up onto torn and bloody legs. He needed medical supplies if he had any chance of surviving. He needed to clean and bind his wounds, he might even luck out and find some antibiotics. And maybe other survivors. Dr Sattler had made a run for the maintenance shed, perhaps she'd made it. And there was no reason why Hammond and Malcolm shouldn't still be safe in the bunker.

He located his weapon, which thankfully was still in working order, and focused on the task at hand. He raised his SPAS-12, testing his shoulder. His aim was unsteady at best, it was a good thing dinosaurs were big. Muldoon wasted no more time, heading for the door he and Dr Sattler had used earlier. The weapon was a familiar comfort, not a failsafe, so he moved as quickly as he could, scanning ahead as far as his vision would allow in the fading light. His aching legs carried him into the building and he bolted the door behind him, resisting the urge to sink down and rest. Rest would come when he reached the supply room. Weak and aching and dizzy he made his way further into the building, realising that Dr Sattler must've at least made it as far as the switch because the lights were on. He found the bunker room he'd left Hammond and Malcolm in but there was no sign of them. The room was as he'd left it, no signs of disturbance beyond the makeshift hospital for Malcolm. The old man and the injured scientist had left of their own free will. He trusted that they were safe, beyond that there was nothing he could do for them until he'd tended to his own wounds, he was of no use to anyone in his current state.

He'd been instrumental in establishing the safety practices of Jurassic Park. The emergency bunkers were a suggestion he was now very glad Hammond had listened to. Muldoon knew what was stocked here and where to find it, so he set about gathering all the supplies he suspected he'd need. Gauze, bandages, butterfly stitches, saline solution, antiseptic wipes, tape and even antibiotic ointment. He placed all the supplies on the table in front of him and now came the moment of truth. Gingerly he peeled his shirt off, the cloth sticking to his bloody wounds and stinging as he pulled it away. On his stomach he found three puncture wounds, one not much more than a scratch, but two were nasty, where she'd driven her talons deep into his flesh. If there were internal injuries, there was nothing he could do about them, so he washed and dressed what he could see of the damage and hoped he'd find a way off the island before he bled out or turned septic. It was a difficult process, made harder by the hampered function of his left arm. His abdomen was crisscrossed with more superficial scratches, which he cleaned and gave up trying to dress individually, settling instead for wrapping his entire midsection in bandage. His shoulder was another story. The raptor had clamped her jaws over it, teeth sinking deep into muscle, scraping bone, it was a mess. He cleaned it as best he could, blood still flowing steadily from the tooth holes, and packed it with gauze to stem the flow. It was tedious with one hand, but eventually he managed to wrap and tape it to his satisfaction. Years in Kenya had made him a fairly competent bush doctor, he couldn't guarantee his work would heal pretty but he was reasonably confident he would survive. His arms and legs were cut and grazed, but he merely doused them in antiseptic, not bothering to dress them. If he was lucky smelling like a hospital might deter any hungry dinosaurs.

Muldoon pulled the tattered remains of his shirt back on, another layer over his injuries preferable at the moment, unsure as he was about how and where he was going to escape this failed experiment. He checked his weapon and helped himself to some extra rounds, and a torch.

There was no point in staying put. Finding his own way off the island was his best chance of survival and time he knew was of the essence. Any mode of transport left would not be back once it had departed. He'd do a quick sweep of this building and the visitors centre, unable to ignore that there might be other survivors, and then he'd grab a jeep and head for the dock.

**AN: My knowledge of Jurassic Park is pretty much limited to the first movie. I haven't read the book, so anything about Muldoon's back story in this fic is just made up by me. I have no idea if it fits in with cannon or not. Anyway, thanks for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

The visitor centre was still and eerily silent. It had never been overly crowded, the tourists it was meant for never having arrived, but always it had hummed with the subtleties of human presence. The murmur of conversations, footsteps echoing across the polished floor, a can of soft drink falling through a vending machine. Now it was deathly quiet, though not so long ago it must've been chaos.

The skeletons that once hung impressively from the ceiling were scattered across the ground, smashed into pieces. And amongst the debris lay the carcasses of two raptors. There was no sign of the third one. Upon closer inspection he found them to be the big one and the more dominant of the two subordinates. They were riddled with puncture wounds, only one dinosaur on Isla Nublar was capable of leaving such marks.

The Tyrannosaur had been here. He preferred to call her that rather than T-Rex. That name made her sound like an over-sized kitten, not the forty foot, carnivorous reptile that she was. It was a mark of respect, something he had for all the many creatures he'd hunted or cared for over the years. It was what had kept him alive all these years of dealing with the most dangerous animals on the planet. He'd lost that respect for a moment, forgetting just how intelligent the big one was, and it had very nearly gotten him killed.

Even though she had attacked him, and even though he wouldn't have hesitated to put a bullet in her, to a certain extent Muldoon mourned the big one. He crouched down beside her, and stroked her scaled hide, something he would never have been able to do to her in life, but something he found comfort in now. She'd been a formidable predator and her loss seemed such a waste. In fact, all of this did.

He considered taking a trophy from her, maybe a tooth or a talon, something to remember a worthy adversary. But he didn't, maiming her body any further didn't seem right, not after the carnage that had taken place across the island.

He was pulled from his reverie, a dangerous lapse in concentration he chided himself, knowing that blood loss was partly to blame for his diminished focus, but no matter the cause just as likely to get him killed. He rotated his injured shoulder, using the waves of pain that caused, to sharpen his senses. A noise, a deliberate knocking was what had him on alert. It was coming from the direction of the restaurant. He left the dead raptors behind, cautiously making his way towards where the sound was emanating from. He expected, or rather hoped, to find Hammond and Malcolm, or Dr Sattler, perhaps even Dr Grant and the children, but the closer he came, the more power he realised was behind the force creating the sound. It was unlikely to be human.

He pushed the kitchen door open, raising his gun and sweeping the room. He saw nothing reptilian and noticed now that the noise had ceased. He couldn't have imagined it. Muldoon stood absolutely still and quiet in an attempt to gauge the situation. He had almost convinced himself of delusion due to his weakened state when a faint scratching caught his attention, it was coming from the freezer. He approached, common sense telling him this was a bad idea, but morbid curiosity urging him on. Perhaps if he'd been in his right mind he would have walked away. He dislodged the bolt that kept the freezer locked and edged the door open. Inside was the third raptor. The sound he'd heard had been her last ditched effort at escape. She lay on her side now, shallow breaths, and slitted eye the only indication that she was still alive. It was lucky for her that dinosaurs were warm-blooded or she'd already be dead. He considered putting a bullet in her, and again in his right mind he would have, but instead he found himself pitying her. He couldn't leave her here to die. He'd cared for this animal for years, nurtured her from a hatchling, and while he held no illusions that she'd afford him any courtesy, knowing she'd kill him given the chance, he still couldn't walk away. Muldoon propped the heavy door open, this was her chance. He'd dealt with enough wounded animals to know that despite appearances they could still be lethal in an apparently helpless state. It was that thought which held him back from dragging her out of the chill, his aching shoulder not arguing with the decision. He went to the cool room and retrieved a slab of beef. He placed it six feet from the dinosaur's nostrils, this encouragement being all he could do to aid her now. Her predator's instincts would have to do the rest. She lifted her head weakly, and purred softly. His eyes met hers and a recognition passed between them. Saving a lone pack animal was perhaps a crueler thing to do than letting her die, but even Robert Muldoon had reached his limit of death for the day. He walked away, leaving the kitchen door open behind him as he went in search of a jeep. He'd wasted enough time here.


	3. Chapter 3

It wasn't even that there were no boats at the dock when he made it there, it was that there was no dock at all. The storm had been savage on this side of the island, tearing the wooden structure completely away. Perhaps it was nature's way of removing the human stain from Isla Nublar, she was doing a pretty good job of it on the giant, man-eating lizard front, why not with the weather too? He'd checked the helipad on the way here, and not surprisingly, there were no choppers. No pilot would be foolish enough to risk returning to the island. What to do? From the visitors centre there was no way of communicating with the dock now. If he wanted a boat he'd have to wait one out, but it was dark and miserable and nearing midnight, he didn't particularly fancy spending the night here in an open jeep.

The chirping of a Dilophosaur issued from the nearby forest. Decision made. In his poor state of health and in the darkness, he was not confident in is ability to outmatch this foe. Live today, fight tomorrow. Muldoon shoved the stick into reverse and spun the jeep around, heading back to the safety of the bunker. He could wait the night out there, maybe get some sleep and give his injuries a chance to at least begin healing.

A jungle road at night was always hazardous and the added threat of dinosaur encounters did nothing to minimise the risk. He was all too aware that only twenty-four hours ago he'd been fleeing the Tyrannosaur under similar conditions, only this time he was hurt and tired and struggling to focus...on the Triceratops in the middle of the road. Instinct had Muldoon slamming his foot on the brake, but he was too late. The jeep careened into the two tonne dinosaur, the collision like hitting a brick wall. The impact knocked the sub-adult dinosaur off her feet, but she got up remarkably quickly and ambled off into the forest. The fact that she was still a juvenile did nothing to help his radiator, judging by the hiss issuing from the front of the jeep. Muldoon now had a headache to add to his list of complaints, but it came in below 'busted vehicle' and 'being stranded in the jungle in the middle of the night on a dinosaur infested island'. He turned the key and hoped that that vehicle still had a spark of life in her. She'd boil eventually but maybe he could make it back to the visitors centre before she was a complete write off. The jeep spluttered to life and he did the best he could, navigating through the dark forest with broken headlights.

After what felt like a night that would never end, he made it back within view of the compound. The vehicle gave her dying splutters and he was left with a few hundred yards to cover on foot. He lifted his shotgun from beside him and abandoned the vehicle. Tired and injured as he was, it had provided a certain amount of safety and he struggled now to make it back to the bunker. Tomorrow, if he lived that long, he would head back to his own quarters and see what was left, but for tonight the safety of the bunker was called for.

He worked his way across the open ground, silently berating himself for being such a fool and leaving the freezer door open. Misplaced sentimentality was likely to get him killed. He scanned the surrounding darkness for any sign of her, or other wayward dinosaurs. He held his weapon at the ready, his left shoulder ached in protest. As he crossed the compound his vision became blurred, he felt the telltale warmth of fresh blood as his shoulder wound started to bleed profusely once more, and his sole focus was on reaching the bunker, that was his only hope now. He forgot to scan, his weapon slumped in his weakening grip and putting one foot in front of the other took the majority of his focus. Sounds issued from the trees but that was on the periphery of his consciousness. There was something there, something making quite a racquet but there was nothing he could do besides what he was doing so he pushed on. Finally he made the bunker, and though he couldn't be sure, he thought as he wrenched the door open that he heard the purr of a raptor close by. He managed to get inside and close the door behind him, and this time he did slump to the ground right there. He felt close to his limit as he sat leaning against the cold, metal door but at least he was alive. Inside and alive. The evening's excursion had proved pointless. The only positive to come from the entire mess was that tomorrow couldn't possibly be any worse.


	4. Chapter 4

Muldoon had indulged himself long enough. He'd made sure his next day had been better by remaining in the bunker but he'd been in here for three days now and it was time to venture out. He was a man, not a mole, which meant he needed sunshine, fresh air and open spaces. Besides it made sense to eat the perishables in the kitchen first and not use up the stores of long life food here, in case he should need them. He had no idea how long he might be stuck on this God forsaken island. If unfortunately he was stuck here long-term he could hunt, but he'd need his full strength back before attempting that.

Muldoon gathered his weapon and some ammo before venturing back out into dino territory. Refreshed as he was from his few days of recuperation, his senses were much sharper as he scanned the surrounding jungle for signs of life. The usual sounds of the jungle, humming insects and calling birds, surrounded him but nothing of the reptilian variety made itself known. That of course meant nothing, the raptor would see him long before he was aware of her. Carefully and quickly he made his way across the yard towards the visitor centre. From here, he could see the ruined jeep and his footprints had dried hard in the mud. Sparing them a quick glance, he understood how lucky he had been to survive that night, he'd obviously been more than a little unsteady on his feet, he barely remembered it now.

On the edge of the clearing he came across a Dilophosaur carcass. It had been dead for two or three days, and bore puncture marks he recognised, namely because his own abdomen bore their counterparts. A raptor had done this, and she'd done it in the aftermath of the breakdown. So she could still be here. He heeded this warning and carefully made his way into the visitors centre.

He found it just as he'd left it, there was no reason to think anyone had been here, or would be coming here. In the kitchen he closed and bolted the door after a thorough sweep, allowing him to drop his guard. The refrigerator and freezer were still running, though the food in the freezer was spoiled as he'd left the door open for the raptor. He did not know how long the refrigeration would last, the power stations would only function for so long without their human operators.

He made a meal of bread, cheese and cold meat, glad to eat something that hadn't come out of a can. He even indulged a chocolate pudding for desert.

He was put on alert again when he heard the door handle rattle. There was no immediate threat, he'd secured the lock, but he was now effectively trapped. Only the raptor would try such a trick and his suspicions were confirmed when outside the door he heard her talons clicking on the floor. What to do? If he opened that door there could be no hesitation. He needed to pull the trigger and finish this.

Whilst considering his options, Muldoon's mind ran over the path back to the bunker, the distance, the foot prints, the carcass... Outside the door the raptor purred in unison with the one in his memories. She'd been there that night, right by him as he'd made it to the bunker. That Dilophosaur had been there too, he was sure of it now, that was the commotion he'd heard in the jungle. The raptor had saved his life, whether she meant to or whether she'd been defending her next meal against a competitor, he would never know, but the point still stood that he'd be dead without her. It was a debt repaid. Did that mean anything? No, it didn't. He was a man and she was an animal. That she was intelligent and thoughtful, he had no doubt, but honour and gratitude? Those things meant nothing to a beast. He'd heard numerous stories, even known some people, who'd become too trusting of their wards, only to turn around and have their throats ripped out by the big cats. Still, it was too early in the day for genocide, perhaps he could wait her out.

xxx

He'd been in the kitchen for hours. It had been over an hour since he'd heard any sign of her outside the door. Slowly he opened it and scanned, his eyes landing on her across the room. She was lingering by the bodies of her pack mates. She heard the door and looked up at him. He stepped forward and lifted his weapon, looking down the sights at her. She watched him but made no attempt to move towards him. He held his shotgun trained on her and decided to try something other than shooting her. It was the fact that she'd spared him once which urged him to do so.

"There's a good girl," he said in a soothing voice, slowly circling around her and backing towards the outer door. She cocked her head to the side at the sound of his words, and watched him curiously, but still didn't move to attack him. As long as she held that attitude he was happy to refrain from killing her.

He made it outside and headed for the village. It had been emptied of its residents prior to the encroaching storm. He passed Wu's impressive house as he made his way to his own home on the island. The house was empty, the geneticist having taken the last shuttle to the dock before the storm.

Muldoon's quarters were quite meagre in comparison. He hadn't spent a great deal of time in them and so he hadn't needed much more than a bed and a shower. Now that the fences were down and dinosaurs roamed freely, he anticipated he'd been spending a little more time indoors, and if that was the case, he might as well do it in style. Muldoon packed up his few belongings and headed for Hammond's bungalow. It had more windows, which appealed to him as an outdoor man, and a better liquor cabinet too he'd wager.

The old man owed him. He'd ignored several safety measures Muldoon had proposed. Muldoon had warned him about Nedry too, but he'd refused to listen and look at the state of things now. For one thing he doubted his shoulder was ever going to be the same, the least Hammond could do was supply some top shelf booze for medicinal purposes.

On his way to the bungalow he came across a pair of Parasaurolophus wandering through the visitor area. He simply waited for them to pass, they were harmless herbivores if left to their own devices and at ten metres long it was best not to get in their way. Beyond the lumbering giants he spotted the raptor. The elaborately crested hadrosaurs obviously hadn't seen her as they continued on their slow path. They were in no danger though, she wasn't watching them, they were too big for her to take down alone anyway, it was him that her yellow eyes were fixed on. Muldoon wasn't too concerned, as long as he kept his eyes on her he was relatively safe. She was an ambush predator, she wasn't going to attack him head on unless he threatened her. He readjusted his grip on the shotgun just in case, before he quickly skirted around behind the big herbivores and up the steps to the front door of the lavish bungalow.

Muldoon had keys for nearly every lock on the island but not this one. He settled for kicking the door in and wedging it shut with a chair. He'd find supplies to fix it at some stage, not for Hammond's benefit but in the interest of security.

He looked around the interior his new temporary home. It didn't have the earthy feel of an African hunting lodge, the straight lines and crisp design making it more Japanese in its inspiration, but it did have big, open spaces, and allowed light and air to flow unlike the stifling bunker.

His wounds required redressing, so he took care of that. Peeling off the old dressings, cleaning the punctures and applying new ones from a first aid kit. Thankfully the two deepest puncture wounds hadn't done any damage beyond tearing his abdominal muscles. He knew that because he wasn't dead. If the talons had ruptured organs or major blood vessels, he'd be dead, or at least well on his way to dying by now. That didn't mean they weren't painful though. His shoulder throbbed too, as the muscles worked to reknit themselves. Unlike being stranded alone on the island, the pain was a problem that had an immediate solution. He rooted through the cupboards and found the medicine he knew Hammond would have, a nice single malt Irish whiskey aged sixteen years. He settled down on the sumptuous leather lounge, with a view out the floor to ceiling windows of the twilit jungle, to enjoy a glass, or maybe two.


	5. Chapter 5

Muldoon felt the kiss of a tropical breeze on his face when he awoke. Morning light flowed in through the large windows and it took him a moment to remember where he was. The reason for that was the generous empty space at the top of the whisky bottle that was currently sitting on the coffee table beside him. The fresh air drew his attention to the door which now hung open. The realisation of what lurked outside soon had him alert and on his feet, crossing the room to rectify the situation. It was a stupid mistake and he was lucky it hadn't resulted in his death considering the numerous carnivorous bipeds that called the island home.

Looking out the door, he noticed one of those now. The raptor was curled up asleep outside the door like a giant, scaly spaniel. There was nothing stopping her from having come inside, except for the apparent fact that she hadn't wanted to. He closed the door just to be safe, and watched her out the window as she got to her feet and began to pace the porch.

Her condition had dropped in the days since the breakdown, leading him to think that the black steer had been the last meal she'd had. She was warm-blooded, unlike her modern reptilian cousins, which meant her metabolism worked faster than that of a snake or a crocodile. She needed to eat most days of the week like a mammalian predator, not sporadically like those cold-blooded creatures.

Unlike them too, she was a pack hunter and he doubted her resolve to hunt now she was alone. Muldoon had ample experience with pack hunters. In Kenya he'd worked with lions. Like a lion, she was used to being part of a group. He'd seen lone lions, whose prides had been shot or poisoned, and finding themselves alone their instinct drove them to form a new pride, substituting prey animals for the absent members of their own species. He wondered if that's what she was doing with him. Hoping to form a new pack. Raptor society was ruled by a strict hierarchy and he wasn't a baby antelope. Being a formidable hunter in his own right, perhaps he could assume the dominant role, that way he might not have to kill her. In her old pack she'd been the most submissive member so it might work. She obviously had some kind of trust in him already, if he showed her it was well placed they might both survive the catastrophe that had befallen their home.

He considered for a moment before sliding the nearest window open a few inches.

"What are you doing up here?"

She stilled at the sound of his voice before turning her attention on him, watching him through the glass with her intelligent eyes.

"Why didn't you come in? What will you do if I come out there?" he wondered aloud. She cocked her head to the side, listening to his questions. Silence stretched between them until his stomach growled. She twitched at the sound and he couldn't help but laugh.

"I'll bet you feel the same way."

He gathered up his SPAS-12 and opened the door, stepping out onto the porch.

"You first," he coaxed, watching her effortlessly jump over the stairs onto the ground below. She turned and lowered her head letting out a rolling growl that indicated submission. "Well that's a start," he told her. He followed her towards the raptor enclosure, this was where she was used to being fed and she knew he was the one who'd been there when the food arrived. He walked beyond her old cage now, always careful to keep her in his sights, and headed towards the livestock yards. This was where the cattle and goats were kept before feeding. It wasn't very sporting of him, but it was a sure-fire way to find prey when neither of them were at their fittest.

From the looks of it though they were too late. He'd known the Tyrannosaur had been in this area, because of the dead raptors in the visitors centre, and here was further evidence. Livestock carcasses littered the ground, the big dinosaur apparently on a killing spree now she was loose. Sometime during his convalescence in the bunker she must have discovered this smorgasbord.

"Never mind girl," he found himself assuring the raptor, "we'll find some fresh meat somewhere." She purred in reply. He knew they both understood the threat this killing field betrayed. The Tyrannosaur was a formidable foe they both needed to beware of. Standing amongst the mangled bodies of the goats and cattle, he locked eyes with the raptor. As she gazed thoughtfully back at him, he knew there was one other thing besides their solitude they had in common now; an enemy. And Muldoon was left wondering if the old adage would prove true in their unusual case.

xxx

While ever the velociraptor stayed within sight, Muldoon felt relatively safe with her because she was making herself known. If he could see her, he knew she wasn't stalking him and sizing him up as prey.

For himself, he could've found a meal in the kitchen, or the cafeteria in the village, or the bunker, but he didn't think canned beans and dry crackers would cut it with the dinosaur, and he _had _promised her some meat.

It meant he needed to hunt. That _they_ needed to hunt.

He'd used dogs to hunt in the past and wondered if he could use the raptor in a similar way now. A lot of people who hadn't experienced a hunt like that thought it was cruel to the dogs, that they were being forced into something they didn't want to do, but as far as his experience went that wasn't true at all. Those animals thrived on the catching prey, and were equipped with teeth, claws, keen senses and strong, lithe limbs that were meant for the purpose. They revelled in using those weapons to take down prey.

It brought about a sense of camaraderie as well. Human and animal working alongside one another towards a common goal. And bred a mutual respect, when witnessing the other's willingness and capability for the task. It was a thrilling and satisfying use of teamwork.

The difference here though was that dogs were domestic. They'd evolved alongside man for the past twenty thousand years. The gulf separating him from the raptor was eighty million, and she was still a wild animal at heart, but he was the closest any human had ever been to her species. He was the one that had overseen their care during this ill-thought out collision of apex predators. If anyone was qualified to try this, it was Muldoon.

"Want to try it Priscilla?" he proposed to the dinosaur who lingered nearby. She stilled and looked at him before letting out a sharp coughing sound. The intentional vocalisation affirmed ties between pack members, he wondered if it meant she liked the name.

He'd always erred away from naming his wards in the past, the familiarity led to false pretences of their ability to feel affection in return. Wild animals were wild animals after all. But he'd had a girlfriend named Priscilla once, a nasty piece of work who'd razor sharp words cut like a raptor's talon. The name seemed appropriate under the circumstances; he never wanted to forget exactly what this girl was capable of. And if it was just going to be the two of them from now on he needed to call her something.

He acknowledged her and they moved on.

Mentally, he ran through the list of dinosaurs on the island. Gallimimus were the smallest and least dangerous. Over on Sorna they had Compsognathus which were even smaller, but thankfully they hadn't been introduced to the Park yet, so he was safe from those nasty little theropods. The trouble with Gallimimus though, was that they were fast. One hint of danger and they'd flock and run. They'd be no match for a fit raptor pack, but one man with a barely functioning shoulder and a half starved raptor was another matter. Everything else on the island was big, except for the Dilophosaurs, but they were carnivorous and eating carnivores was only to be considered as a last resort.

They headed north east and found a herd nearby in the intended Herrerasaurus paddock. They were the only dinosaurs in the paddock, Herrerasaurs hadn't made it to Nublar yet.

The Gallimimus were as relaxed as any prey animals ever were, they slowly moved across the paddock feeding on the fresh grass, and the occasional small reptile they came across.

Muldoon and the raptor kept to the cover of the jungle, watching the herd and sizing up their prey. To his left the raptor watched the oblivious omnivores intently. He decided to take advantage of the relaxed attitude of the Gallimimus and found a suitable branch to rest his weapon on. He chose a target and lined the grazing Gallimimus up in his sights, his entire focus on the shot he was about to take. He let out a breath, stilling himself to squeeze the trigger when suddenly he was hit from the right side. The blow knocked him to the ground and through the shock came the jarring thought that he'd been cunningly out witted by a velociraptor for the second time.

**AN: Hello! When I started this fic, I didn't think anyone would actually read it but I've been getting a few comments on it, so I thought I should reply to them. A question a couple of people have asked is whether there will be a chapter from the raptors POV. I won't say a definite no, but I'm not planning on one. The raptor's motives are a mystery to Muldoon, and as this is his story, I think the uncertainty should always be there. Thanks so much to those who've taken the time to read/review, I appreciate it :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Keep them coming, I love hearing what people think. Also a big thank-you to TreasureHunterGirl for all her help with this story :)**

Just as suddenly as he'd been knocked off his feet, another blow came and then he was free. He looked up to see two dinosaurs battling it out. Tumbling into the clearing, biting and scratching ferociously at one another were Priscilla and a Dilophosaur. How many of those horrible, frilled carnivores were still on this godless island?

Muldoon realised that Priscilla had saved him again, and the thought had him scrambling for his shotgun to return the favour. He spotted it on the jungle floor and snatched it up, aiming for the attacker. It was difficult to separate the brawling dinosaurs in the sights as they savagely fought it out, and the second a clear shot presented itself he took it, putting an end to the vicious creature. Priscilla jumped back at the sound and turned her head to see him with his weapon raised, its barrel smoking.

Behind her, the Gallimimus flocked and ran. The hunt was ruined.

Muldoon turned his attention back to the raptor. He scanned her body for signs of injury and saw no serious wounds. She had a few minor cuts and scratches, but her thick hide had proved an effective defence against the smaller teeth and claws of the other dinosaur.

As the adrenaline died down he became aware of every new scratch and bruise of his own, and was painfully reminded of the old ones, particularly his shoulder.

Gallivanting around the bush injured and hung over had been a ridiculous idea.

"Eat that if you want to," he told the raptor, indicating towards the fresh Dilophosaur carcass, before limping off back to the safety of the compound.

xxx

In the bunker he chewed furiously on a biscuit. It was perfectly good food, and what he should've gone looking for earlier, not a bloody overgrown chicken for a top line predator that was far more capable of providing for herself than he was.

Muldoon looked around the windowless room, he did hate being locked up in it. He stashed a few packets of biscuits under his arm and made for the exit. Outside the door Priscilla waited for him. What was she doing here? She must have followed him straight back, there wasn't a trace of blood on her snout. Well if she was too silly to eat, there was nothing he could do about that.

"You're going to have to fend for yourself," he barked at her, determined not to go on any more jaunts until he was fully recovered. He didn't know what had come over him, that should've been his resolve from the start. He was an experienced survivalist and an important rule in any survival situation was that you can't help others if you can't help yourself. He needed to be fit and well.

He stomped up the steps of the bungalow, noticing the busted door on his way inside.

He scowled at it, thinking that he needed to bloody well fix that too. Once inside Muldoon looked irritably around at the décor, he didn't like the feel of the modern design. It was an irrelevant yet vexing thought. He knew he was too wound up and decided that some relaxation was in order. He grabbed a couple of beers from the refrigerator, and huffed out onto the porch with his biscuits and his gun.

Priscilla was circling agitatedly outside the bungalow. He tried to enjoy his drink but her presence was getting on his nerves. He didn't want to have to deal with her hunger right now. What could he do anyway? She had refused the earlier kill. He hurled a biscuit at her. It landed unceremoniously on the ground at her feet. She sniffed it and gave him an unhappy growl.

"Well go find something else," he told her moodily, rubbing his throbbing shoulder. She ran off and then he felt a pang of guilt for getting snippy with her, which in turn made him angry at himself for caring. With a frown, he decided he just needed another beer, and maybe some painkillers too.

xxx

Sometime later he was jolted awake when a fledgling Gallimimus landed in his lap. It startled him for several reasons. One was that he realised he fallen asleep out in the open. He should've known better than to mix alcohol with painkillers. Another was that it's limp body had been dropped from a velociraptor's mouth, and said velociraptor now stood over him watching him intently. A third was that the dead dinosaur was a juvenile. No dinosaur of it's size should be on Nublar. All the nurseries were on Sorna, and only dinosaurs much older than this one were shipped to the park. He knew that because he'd been in charge of the transfers. Dino's under six months of age had a high mortality rate, and as they were yet to determine the exact causes, it was best to keep the young ones out of the zoo, so they didn't drop dead in front of the guests. Or that had been the plan anyway. What it amounted too was that this dinosaur couldn't be here unless it was born here which was impossible because the only dino's hatched on Nublar were the raptors, and any reproduction could only happen with human intervention because all the dinosaurs were female.

Priscilla purred at him, unable to understand his hesitation at receiving the gift. He felt bad for not acknowledging her, and spoke to her now to assure her she'd done the right thing in offering the kill to him first.

"Where did you find this?" he asked in much friendlier tones than he'd used earlier. She purred again, and watched him carefully.

He realised then that she wanted a leader. Not only did she need to feel like part of a pack, but she needed someone to guide her. Her submissive nature was why the big one hadn't killed her like she'd killed the other six. Priscilla hadn't challenged for leadership, she had been happy to follow.

This was an important moment in their relationship. He wanted to show her he was up to the task and racked his brain for the social cue that would assert his dominance and give her reason to put her faith in him as that strong leader. Suddenly he realised the answer was simple. He stood up. By doing so he forced her to take a step back, proving her willingness to submit, and showing his own fearlessness. They stood face to face, gauging each other's mood. When she showed no signs of aggression he slowly reached out and stroked the supple skin under her jaw.

"There's a good girl."

He had touched plenty of dinosaurs before, but never an adult carnivore that wasn't under sedation. This was different. This was the deadliest hunter on the planet allowing him the privilege. She purred softly and then pulled away, circling excitedly. She was ready for her meal.

He disappeared inside to fetch a knife and some matches. If they were going to share this meal he was at least going to cook his portion. Priscilla lingered on the porch. He suspected she was afraid of closed in places after her confinement in the freezer. He'd noticed her reluctance to go indoors before and wondered if perhaps it was something he could use. Training animals was about using their natural instincts and reinforcing behaviours they already knew. He turned to face her where she remained on the threshold.

"Priscilla, stay!" Muldoon commanded, holding his hand up in a stop gesture. If she associated the command with standing still then maybe it would relate to other situations later if he needed it to.

Outside he gutted the small Gallimimus, tossing the innards to Priscilla which she caught skilfully in her mouth. He carved up the kill, feeding almost all of it to the raptor only saving a few pieces of thigh meat to make a shish kebab for himself.

Priscilla wolfed her food down, Muldoon was not quite so eager as he waited for his share to cook over the fire.

There was still plenty of hardtack in the bunker but if he was on the island long term he'd have to eat dinosaurs eventually so he might as well start now. Besides, he liked meat and he'd been almost a week without it.

As he bit tentatively into the dinosaur meat Muldoon knew that whatever else happened on this crazy island, he and Priscilla were a pack now and that meant they would look out for each other, no matter what.

**AN: So the next chapter is all but done. Hoping to have it posted in the next week or so. Thanks for reading :)**


	7. Chapter 7

Muldoon brought the vehicle to a halt. His resolve to take it easy had lasted a day. He had spent the previous day sitting around doing nothing, besides cleaning his weapon and recuperating, but he couldn't stand anymore of that.

This morning he'd decided to go for a drive and check the situation with the paddocks and rest of the dinosaurs and had made it as far as East Dock. In the jeep, during daylight, he felt safe and was able to outrun any danger.

He'd left Priscilla wandering around the compound, she wasn't fit enough to keep up with the vehicle yet.

The last time he'd visited the dock had been on the night the storm hit. He'd been injured and desperate and found that there was no way to leave the island. Now, he'd come back to see if any vessels had dared to approach the island. Looking out to sea, he could see no sign of any boats.

In the small terminal he found the vending machine smashed open. He thought of Nedry and wondered where the fat fool had ended up. The last Muldoon had seen of the greedy programmer had been in the control room before the breakdown. Arnold said he'd tampered with the systems. He'd been stupid enough to turn the raptor fences off. His chances of survival out here were all but non-existent if his knowledge of dinosaur behaviour led him to the conclusion that doing such a thing had been a good idea. Could the dysfunctional slob have made it this far?

Muldoon stepped outside with his shotgun at the ready and called out to him.

"Nedry!" He didn't particularly want to see the man, let alone help him, but he did want to know if there was someone else on the island. Muldoon found the thought rather unsettling.

"Nedry!" he tried again. A rustle from the bushes alerted him to the presence of another. "Nedry?" he enquired, recognising the clumsy movement of a human from the rhythm of the footfall and noisy path its approach cut through the jungle plants.

"Oh, thank God!" the newcomer exclaimed, bursting from the jungle in a completely dishevelled state. "I thought I was the only one left!"

"Wu? What are you still doing here?" Muldoon was certainly surprised to see Jurassic Park's head geneticist come scrambling out of the jungle. It had been a week since the breakdown and Henry Wu looked like he had spent those living in terror and uncertainty. His face was covered in scratches, his clothes were torn and muddy. His eyes darted about wildly as though he expected to be attacked at any moment.

Wu lunged forward and seized him by the shirtfront. "We have to get out of here!"

"Is something chasing you?" Muldoon questioned, scanning the surrounding jungle for signs of life.

"It's Jurassic Park and the animals are loose!" the doctor insisted, letting go and making his way quickly to the jeep. Muldoon followed him, watching Wu climb hastily into the passenger's seat and waiting for Muldoon to follow suit and climb into the vehicle, but he wasn't quite ready to do that. He stopped beside the driver's door without opening it and calmly considered the agitated scientist.

"You're the one that raided the vending machine?" Muldoon questioned, wanting to ascertain if there might be others still lurking here as Wu had been.

"I had to eat something," Wu defended. Muldoon realised Wu thought he was having a go at him for vandalising the snack dispenser.

"I don't care about that," he told the unhinged geneticist. With those words Wu relaxed a little, causing Muldoon to question the other man's sanity. Though he didn't dwell on the thought, concerned that it may be a case of the pot calling the kettle black. He was currently the member of a raptor pack himself after all. Only two nights ago he and his fellow pack member had sat around a campfire sharing a bite to eat. "Are there any others?" Muldoon found himself hoping the answer was no, and that had nothing to do with wanting others to be safe.

"Not that I know of. It's just me."

"Good," Muldoon nodded, finally climbing into the jeep.

Human contact seemed to soothe the stranded scientist, his conversation had become more rational. Muldoon couldn't say the same. Perhaps unreasonably, he found Wu's company irritated him, but Wu was a good man and Muldoon felt obliged to help someone less skilled in survival situations than himself.

"How'd you miss the boat?"

"The shuttle crashed. The weather was so bad, the wind and the rain, it made the road really dangerous and the driver lost control. It flipped. The others didn't make it but I managed to get out and found my way to the dock. Only I was too late, the boat was already gone."

"How many others?"

"The driver plus two more. Most people caught the earlier shuttle before the weather got too bad."

Muldoon nodded, thinking that would've been the sensible thing to do.

"You've been staying at the compound?" the scientist asked.

"In Hammond's bungalow," Muldoon confessed with a rare smile. He still liked the thought of intruding on the old man's private residence because he knew Hammond wouldn't like it.

"Who else?" Wu asked.

"No one," Muldoon lied.

"You're the only survivor? Hammond? The children?"

"I don't know. The tour vehicles broke down by the Tyrannosaur paddock. Hammond asked Doctor Sattler and I to retrieve the children. We found Malcolm and brought him back. She killed Gennaro. We never found Grant or the children. Nedry interfered with the security systems, we had to reboot the whole lot. I went with Sattler to the maintenance shed. She made it but I was attacked by a raptor, I don't know what happened after that. I know they got the power back up but that's it. It was dark when I woke up and everyone was gone."

"The bunker?"

"No. We left Malcolm and Hammond there but they were gone when I went back."

"And the comms?"

"They..." Muldoon fell silent. They were nearing the compound and what he saw imprinted on the road over his recent tyre tracks chilled him to the bone. Tyrannosaur tracks, and she was heading towards the buildings. Towards where he had left Priscilla.

"Shit..."

"What?"

"Tyrannosaur tracks." Muldoon pressed his foot down, speeding towards home.

"What the hell are you doing?" Wu demanded. "We're no match for her!"

Muldoon ignored him and sped on with one goal in mind. From beside him the geneticist was insisting they turn around but it was background noise to Muldoon. He focused on the task at hand which was locating and helping Priscilla if he wasn't too late. And he really hoped he wasn't.

**AN: Are we happy with Wu's appearance in the story? I do have a reason for him showing up, so even if you're not happy with the intrusion stick with it, and hopefully you'll like the outcome. Besides, it's a dino infested island, how long can he last anyway? Thanks for reading :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: I really struggle with writing action scenes, hopefully this is okay...**

Muldoon tore into the compound, the jeep rocking up on two wheels as he skidded to a halt. He issued orders as he grabbed his weapon.

"Get down and don't move, or shut up and stick close. Whatever you chose, do it now." Muldoon shoved the vehicle door open and tried to get out with his seatbelt still on. He'd taken to wearing it again after the Triceratops incident. He swore as he quickly unfastened it and got out. Wu followed.

They edged along the tree line of the jungle, swiftly and quietly making their way towards the audible footsteps of the Tyrannosaur. A minute later they sighted her wandering around between the buildings, poking her nose into anything she thought might hold food. Despite her formidable size and strength she was primarily a scavenger. Of course she could hunt if she needed to but it took a lot of food to satisfy an appetite like hers and so she was always on the prowl for something.

At the moment the big girl looked quite relaxed but he knew it wouldn't take much to stir her up. She was a bite first, ask later kinda gal and with a 12,800 pound per square inch bite force that didn't leave much room for second chances. Gennaro could attest to that.

Muldoon scanned the area for signs of Priscilla, relived when there was no sign of a corpse. The Tyrannosaur hadn't found her yet. In comparison to her body mass, the Tyrannosaur's brain was quite small meaning she didn't possess the intelligence Priscilla did. Hopefully Priscilla was using that to her advantage and laying low somewhere waiting for the Tyrannosaur to pass her by. His heart sank though when he spotted the raptor standing out in the open. She was close to the bunker but she was looking in the direction of the bungalow. He realised that was the last place she'd seen him. He cursed himself for leaving her, she was in danger because she was looking for the rest of her pack. He knew she was aware of the Tyrannosaur because her usually flickering tail was still as she assessed the danger.

Closer to where he stood, the big dinosaur finished with her current investigation and began moving towards the path Priscilla would take if she decided to make a dash for the bungalow.

He removed his slouch hat and wiped his brow as he decided what to do. The best course of action would to be lure Priscilla away unnoticed somehow but she was too far away.

"Why are we here if there's no one else to help? Can't you see that raptor!" Wu said with alarm.

"Quiet!" Muldoon hissed as he sat his hat back on his head. Hadn't he told Wu to shut up only a minute ago? Muldoon waited until the big dinosaur was occupied with destroying one of the electric vehicles and took a few more quick steps towards Priscilla. He was stopped though when Wu grabbed his arm.

"There's a raptor right there!" he insisted, pointing wildly at Priscilla as though Muldoon was an idiot and couldn't see that for himself. "Can't you see it?!"

"Of course I can!" Muldoon snapped, shrugging the panicking scientist off. He was a liability and Muldoon needed to get rid of him before he carried on. He wasn't going to let the jumpy geneticist jeopardise Priscilla's life. "You wait here. Get behind that tree and stay quiet." Wu gave him a look of disbelief. He thought he was being abandoned, and he was right, but Muldoon did it with confidence the scientist would survive. "You know her vision's based on movement, you'll be alright if you stay hidden. I'll take care of the raptor."

The argument chewed up valuable time and when Muldoon looked for Priscilla again he saw that she had spotted him. Her yellow eyes were fixed on him with determination. She started forward just as the Tyrannosaur looked up from her toothy investigation.

"Priscilla, stay!" he commanded, using the same hand gesture he had before. She halted. She might not be quite as clever as the big one had been but she'd been a good soldier and that meant she knew how to follow orders.

He was aware his voice would draw the Tyrannosaur's attention and he raised his gun in anticipation. The big dinosaur looked between them, deciding if she should attack the humans or the smaller dinosaur first. He raised an arm and waved it to hold her attention. She started towards him and he eyed her down the sight, aware that he'd have to let her get fairly close before he took the shot if he wanted it to have any real impact.

Suddenly he lost her in the sights as he was knocked from behind, and as he righted himself he saw Wu had bolted and was sprinting towards the bunker. Fool! If there was one thing a predator knew signalled pray, it was running. Primitive intelligence like the Tyrannosaur's was programmed to give chase. Running was the stupidest thing he could've done. She turned and started after him. If Wu wanted to kill himself that was fine, but he was fleeing towards the bunker and that meant he was also heading towards Priscilla.

Muldoon unloaded one round into the retreating Tyrannosaur, hitting her in the thigh and only serving to aggravate her. She let out a bellow and twisted around, trying to see what had caused the sudden pain. Muldoon used her momentary distraction and took off after Wu, confident he could outpace the laboratory worker. He raced across the yard, his abdominal muscles protesting painfully as they were still sore and tight from knitting together the talon puncture wounds. The Tyrannosaur moved at a quick walk, allowing Muldoon to keep pace with her. In this relatively confined space she shouldn't be able to get wound up to her 32 mph run.

He could see Priscilla ahead, weighing up the situation and deciding if she should break her command and attack or flee. Too busy watching the scene in front of him, instead of watching the ground at his feet, his foot caught on something and he went sprawling, losing his grip on his gun which went sailing ahead of him. He watched helplessly from the ground as the Tyrannosaur's massive foot came down on the weapon, banishing any thoughts he had about using it to defend himself. Running for his life was the only option now. He jumped up and continued towards the bunker. The big carnivore was now closing in on Wu who realised and let out a shrill scream, causing the Tyrannosaur to stop and take stock at the unusual, high-pitched sound. She cocked her great head to the side and rumbled out her curiosity. Wu didn't even notice as he battled with the door handle, blind terror urging him on to the safety of the bunker. Muldoon was hot on his hammer and called to Priscilla as he neared the same door. She jogged to his side and he allowed himself to relax a little, sure they would make it to safety now. But Priscilla hesitated on the threshold, still fearful of entering small doorways.

"Priscilla, come!" he insisted, stepping aside to allow her in first. She was used to taking the lead, because he liked to walk behind where he could keep an eye on her.

She hesitated, letting out an unhappy growl, as the big carnivore drew closer. How much time did she think they had? This was the option if they wanted to survive. With the Tyrannosaur was closing in, her jaws wide as she readied for the kill, Priscilla was still caught up in refusing to enter the bunker. Muldoon sprang forward, putting himself between them. He gave the raptor a hard shove towards the door, thankful when he felt her give. She had finally decided she trusted him enough to enter, but then Wu was at the door.

"You can't let her in here!" he screamed, attempting to shut the door on them both with the Tyrannosaur only yards away and closing in fast. Muldoon did the only thing he could. He punched Wu in the face as hard as he could, sending the man falling backwards and allowing himself and Priscilla to tumble through the door just in time, the Tyrannosaur snapping at their heels.

Inside the bunker Muldoon managed to get the door shut. With all his focus on escaping the Tyrannosaur he didn't expect to have to deal with a human foe.

"You hit me!" Wu cried, cradling his injured face.

"You deserved it!" Muldoon fired back, adrenaline still surging from the close call. "You would have let her kill us!" Suddenly the door flew open, pushed in by the Tyrannosaur who was still doing her best to reach them. She snapped at them through the doorway which she was far too large to fit through, her sabre-like teeth in clear view. Wu jumped back and turned to run, found himself nose to nose with a nervous velociraptor and promptly fainted.

Muldoon shared an unimpressed look with Priscilla before he grabbed the unconscious idiot and dragged him roughly down the stairs.

He propped Wu in the corner of the room where he would be able to keep an eye on the unpredictable man when he woke. Priscilla followed him, taking the double stair case in two quick bounds.

She was being careful to keep him in sight, unwilling to risk being shut up alone again.

For now they were trapped but the Tyrannosaur would tire of waiting long before the supplies ran out.

With the scientist secure, Muldoon set about assessing his own situation. Considering they'd just had a run in with a nine tonne predator, he knew he was lucky to have gotten away with such minor injuries.

His knees were severely scraped, having copped the full brunt of the impact when he'd fallen. Shorts were great in the tropical heat, but they didn't do much to protect ones skin. Muldoon grabbed a bandage and seated himself on the counter to mop up the blood. Priscilla drew closer, watching him curiously .

In his corner Wu began to stir and all too soon he was awake and in panic mode again.

"She's going to bite you!" he gasped, pointing wildly at the approaching raptor. Considering he was supposed to be the most brilliant mind at Jurassic Park, Wu didn't know much about his creations. Her pose was obviously inquisitive, not aggressive.

"No, she's not," Muldoon said, more to Priscilla than to Wu, ninety percent confident he was right. One could never be certain what a wild animal would do.

She leaned in and sniffed the bloody patch on his knee. His hand tightened instinctively on the closest weapon, a taser, while he waited to see what she would do. Her tongue darted out and swiped over the blood. When he didn't tell her not to, she continued to lick the injury. An old bush trick was to let a dog lick your wounds. Dog saliva had antiseptic properties, maybe raptors were the same. He waited patiently while she administered the first aid she deemed necessary.

Wu watched from his corner, his alarm levels dropping when he took in the game keeper's calm demeanour.

"What's she doing?" the geneticist asked. Muldoon knew they were going to have a serious conversation about endangering lives at some point but suspecting that it would not be a friendly discussion Muldoon left it for now to prevent agitating Priscilla.

"Taking care of a pack mate."

"A pack mate? You mean you. What happened to the others?"

Priscilla let out a low growl, glancing in the direction of the intruder in her pack. Apparently jealousy was another trait she had in common with her namesake.

"You're my favourite girl," Muldoon assured her with a pat on the neck, and a pointed look at Wu to remain silent until the injuries were taken care of.

Eventually the bleeding stopped, and satisfied with her ministrations Priscilla turned her attention toward the exit and listened for the Tyrannosaur. Muldoon knew the raptor would want to escape the confines of the bunker as soon as possible.

"So what happened?" Wu asked quietly.

"The others were killed by the Tyrannosaur. She's the only one left."

"Oh. The hatchlings didn't survive?"

"Hatchlings?" That was news to Muldoon. "There weren't any due to hatch until next week."

"They hatched the night of the storm. We set the incubator early. Hammond wanted some baby dinos for his grandchildren to see. He was trying to impress the palaeontologists too, I think." Muldoon was astounded. How in God's name these people had managed to coordinate the resurrection of dinosaurs when they couldn't even inform the head game keeper of new arrivals was beyond him.

"What happened to them?"

"I don't know. They were still in the nest when I left." That meant they could still be there.

Muldoon turned his attention to the lone raptor and considered. As much as he tried to fill the void left by her departed pack mates, he simply wasn't a raptor. If there was a chance she could be with others of her kind again he had to pursue that for her. Didn't he?


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Wow! Judging from all the favs/follows this story has received over the past couple of days a lot of you have been to see Jurassic World and have been reminded of how bloody awesome dinosaurs are! I saw it on Saturday and spent the first ten minutes totally overwhelmed because it was just so cool to be back on Nublar. The next fifteen minutes were spent wanting to kill myself because Jurassic World isn't real. I thought the concept for the movie was brilliant and the execution was great too until the end when it got a little over the top. All the references and scene recreations from the first JP movie were really fun too. Anyway I could probably rave on forever but I won't, PM if you want to chat. Thanks so much to everyone for reading/favouriting/ following this story so far, especially to those who reviewed, and especially, especially to those who've been reviewing regularly. Hope y'all enjoy this chapter :)**

Upon investigation Muldoon and Priscilla discovered the Tyrannosaur had moved on. It had been a couple of hours and Muldoon was itching to get to the hatchery but first he needed to rearm.

There were plenty of spare guns in the bunker. He selected another SPAS-12, noting that there was another also missing. Had Hammond taken it with him? He couldn't imagine the old man using the weapon and Malcolm hadn't been fit to hold a gun, but then again desperate times did call for desperate measures.

He tested the mechanisms on the weapon and finding them satisfactory went about loading it. The SPAS held 6 rounds.

"Can I have a gun?" Wu asked, eyeing the cabinet full of weapons.

"Are you trained in the use of firearms?" Muldoon enquired. He was not about to hand a deadly weapon over to an untrained and jumpy person. He didn't trust Wu not to shoot Priscilla in a panic.

"No."

"Then you're not having one."

"I need to protect myself."

"After that earlier stunt? I'd say you're pretty adept at that."

"You've got no right to refuse," Wu protested, making a grab for the weapon in Muldoon's grasp. Muldoon palmed him off.

"No? You almost killed us. Here," he said, shoving a Taser at Wu to shut him up. "That's the best you're getting."

Wu appeared satisfied with the offering, or at least too abashed to argue.

"Now let's get one thing clear," Muldoon said, chambering a round. "I'm the leader of this pack. You do what I say, when I say it."

Wu muttered an unintelligible answer, Muldoon wanted a clearer one.

"Priscilla, come," he called to the raptor, who immediately came to his side and glared at the scientist too. "Got it?"

Wu looked warily between the pair.

"Yes."

"Good. Then let's go."

Muldoon didn't expect to find much left of the hatchlings. If they had managed to hatch they had been without food for a week now. Their residual yolk sacs would see them through twenty-four, maybe even forty-eight hours, but not seven days. He was annoyed at himself for squandering this chance. Since the second trip to the kitchen they'd stayed away from the visitor's centre, neither he nor Priscilla eager to be near the rotting raptor carcasses. If he'd taken more time to explore back then he'd have certainly found the babies alive.

Even though he was sure they'd have starved to death by now he still accompanied Wu to the lab to see for himself. He owed Priscilla that much.

They picked their way through the rubble of the main entrance, Priscilla staying back on the threshold.

"I'll be back soon," he told her, ignoring the sardonic look Wu shot him. The raptor watched him intently as he disappeared inside the building. Muldoon was a little nervous about leaving her again so soon after their latest brush with death but if the Tyrannosaur did reappear, there was nothing physically stopping Priscilla from following him further into the building.

Inside the laboratory Muldoon examined the crushed eggshells littering the nest.

"How many eggs?"

"Nine."

Muldoon counted the remains of five baby raptors. Four had been eaten by others, the soft bellies and flesh chewed away leaving tiny heads and bare skeletons. The nest was a killing field in miniature. They had turned cannibal in an attempt to survive. He was reminded once again of the savagery of nature. He picked up the only intact hatchling, sorry for the potential companions Priscilla had lost. Unexpectedly a pitiful growl escaped its tiny throat.

"This one's alive."

Wu stepped closer.

"It's starving and dehydrated. I'll fix something for it." At least the scientist was good for something.

Muldoon mimicked the purr of a raptor to soothe the helpless baby while Wu searched for instruments to feed it.

From the other side of the lab his call drew out four more hatchlings. These ones looked stronger as they cautiously approached, hopeful of a meal. He laid the sickly infant back on its bed of ferns and crouched down to look at the others.

"C'mon," he coaxed gently, holding out his hand. The youngsters watched him curiously, coming closer when he purred to them again.

On their tiny noses he could see the yellow stains of dried yolk. They must have survived by eating the unfertilised eggs.

These babies weren't like the raptors that had come before them, they were a variety of colours.

"These chicks are different," he commented.

"We used two new samples," Wu informed him as he continued to prepare a rehydration formula.

The mine in Dominican Republic was constantly unearthing new pieces of amber. Two samples had been used for raptors already. One for the first eight, including Priscilla, who had all been clones of the same raptor, and another for the big one and her siblings. Those siblings hadn't made it to maturity, dying early from the mysterious ailment that struck young dinosaurs at random. Both Priscilla's brood and the big one were a dull brown-grey with very faint banding on their tails. These chicks were more brightly coloured.

The weak one from the nest and two of these stronger ones were a dark brown with large sandy coloured blotches. Another was richer reddish-brown with creamy spots and irregular black markings not unlike a juvenile crocodile. It was quite striking, hopefully she would retain the pretty coloration as she grew. The last one was even more unusual. It was pale, almost white, with black flecks covering its body and its fingers and toes were bright red. The first two patterns made sense, they'd be effective camouflage for an ambush predator in the dappled light of a Cretaceous forest but the third one was strange. No doubt it was beautiful but it was impractical from a stealth hunter's point of view.

Something about the colour variations perplexed Muldoon. It obviously wasn't leucistic, black pigment was clear in its flecking. All the dinosaurs on Jurassic Park were clones of dinosaurs that had been feed on by mosquitoes millions of years ago. They were supposed to be exact replicas of their predecessors. Two sources should mean two colours, not three.

"Two samples, you're sure? There are three colours. Could they be sex-linked?" Not so much reptiles but a lot of birds were like that, their sex easy distinguished by colour.

Technically clones should all be one sex but not all animals were sex determined through chromosomes. Some were affected by temperature for example. There was even a herd of cattle in England that's genetics had bottle-necked until the animals were all clones of one another. But through unknown means, that herd comprised of males and females that were capable of reproduction, despite their identical genomes.

"Highly unlikely," Wu countered patronisingly, "considering they're all female." Muldoon took offence at Wu treating him like an idiot just because he didn't have a fancy university degree and a lab coat. His education came from a lifetime of experience in the field with the very animals he cared for, not from having his nose stuck in a book. He'd seen things Wu could never imagine and learned things no book could ever teach.

"No Wu, you got that one wrong."

"I'm sorry?" Wu asked irritably, clearly peeved that his scientific prowess was being questioned.

"Your brilliant plan to make them all female, it didn't come off."

"What? That's not possible."

"No? So the wild Gallimimus fledgling I came across just sprouted out of the ground on its own, did it?"

"A population comprised entirely of female animals cannot breed."

"Perhaps I imagined it then?"

"Perhaps you did. You aren't exactly acting like yourself. Maybe that raptor attack damaged your brain."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"The Robert Muldoon I know would've shot that stray raptor dead the second he saw it was free. He wouldn't be pal-ing around with it, letting it lick his knees and punching people in the face to rescue it!"

"_She_ saved my life! You think I should've killed her to say thank you?!"

"I think she's an animal and animals don't save lives or get thanked."

"That shows how much you know, you're supposed to be intelligent."

"I am. You're the one...that's..." Wu trailed off into silence as he started at the pale chick. Muldoon could practically see the cogs ticking over in his mind.

"What is it?" Muldoon asked, picking up on the change in Wu's mood and turning his attention toward the hatchling that had the scientist transfixed.

"I recognise that colouration. It's _Hyperolius viridiflavus_."

"Come again?"

"Common Reed Frog. We used their DNA to fill in the sequence gaps." Wu looked rather shocked. Muldoon didn't understand entirely, he was no frog expert, he didn't like small jumpy creatures. He'd known that amphibian DNA had been used but he didn't see the significance. He'd found it kind of strange actually, and pointed that out now.

"Frogs aren't even reptilian."

"No but they are metamorphic, the proteins adapt," Wu supplied automatically, still fixed on the pale chick and speaking more to himself than Muldoon. "How did I not think of that?"

"What?"

"They change sex. In a single sex environment, females become male."

"Females become male? And you're only making this connection now?!"

"Hey! I'm the only person on the planet who was capable of engineering all this."

"Allegedly," Muldoon muttered.

"Give me a break. I created your girlfriend, didn't I?" Okay, that was just childish.

Muldoon let the ridiculous comment go because he didn't know what to think. He'd known the people behind the Jurassic Park concept were reckless but this took it to a whole new level.

"Let's just tend to this little one, alright?" That was the more urgent matter for the moment. There would be plenty of time for them to argue later Muldoon suspected.

"Yes," Wu said, "let's do that because there aren't nearly enough dinosaurs on this island already."

**AN: I based two of the raptor colours on modern day Australian lizards, Blotched Blue-tongued Lizard and Beaked Gecko if you want to check them out for a better idea of what I imagine the hatchlings look like. Also, if you are interested in the cattle Muldoon refers to they are the Chillingham Wild Cattle. I went and saw the herd back in July 2011 and was blown away by the fact that they are all genetically identical. I recommend a visit if you ever find yourself in the north of England. Reviews are always appreciated and thanks for reading :)**


	10. Chapter 10

Despite his protestations Wu had assisted with the care of the raptor chick, cooking up some IV solution for rapid rehydration. Whatever else had and hadn't happened, and whatever they thought of each other, the chick was too weak and pitiful to ignore. Not even a person who'd spent their life locked away in a laboratory could be immune to its suffering. Because of its severely weakened state Muldoon had thought about putting it down but when it had reacted to the smell of food he'd taken that as a sign that it's will to live was strong enough to allow it a fighting chance.

The truce between himself and Wu had lasted long enough to tend to the hatchling, and now they were back to arguing. With the chicks taken care of and stashed safely in a brooder for now, the topic of the discussion as they exited the visitor centre revolved around living arrangements.

"Go back to your fancy house," Muldoon said as they descended the stairs, a wave of relief washing over him when he saw Priscilla waiting patiently at the bottom for him.

"Now? It's getting dark."

"Stay in the bunker then, it's close by."

"Can't I just come with you?"

"I don't think so."

"What about the raptor?"

"She's fine. She'll stick with me."

"I think it'd be better if we stuck together. You know, as in the _human_ contingent..."

"Look," Muldoon said frankly, "I don't feel like dealing with you anymore for today."

"You don't feel like it?" Wu asked incredulously.

"No. So shove off."

"You shove off," Wu retaliated, actually reaching out and shoving Muldoon in the chest.

Priscilla reacted instantly, jumping to his defence. She knocked Wu off his feet and stood over him menacingly.

"Easy there girl," Muldoon soothed. "It's alright, I'm okay. See?" He held his hands up to show her he was uninjured.

"You alright Wu?" he asked, keeping his eyes fixed on the agitated raptor. "She didn't get you with her talons?"

"No," Wu huffed from his position on the ground. His voice drew a growl from Priscilla.

"Alright. Stay still until I lead her away. I'll come find you in the morning." Wu was sensible enough to keep his mouth shut as Muldoon encouraged Priscilla to follow him.

"I'm not sure you should've attacked him, but I can't argue with the sentiment," Muldoon laughed quietly to Priscilla as they made their way towards the bungalow. He made light of the situation because what Priscilla had done was just a warning. If she'd wanted to kill Wu, she would have.

If living on the island had been a permanent arrangement for the men, Muldoon would've had to discipline her but as it was, he wasn't going to put her through the anxiety of reprimand. Now that the prospect of an actual pack was before her Muldoon would increase his efforts to get off the island. He could leave Priscilla behind with a clear conscience. Besides, he didn't really have an option now that Wu was involved too, he needed to get the geneticist back to civilisation.

After being in Wu's presence all day Muldoon truly appreciated what excellent company Priscilla was. He'd only come across Wu this morning and already he was fed up with the imposition on his solitude, Priscilla excused of course.

They arrived at the bungalow. Usually Priscilla lingered just out of reach, only coming onto the porch to sleep when he retreated inside for the evening. This evening however she stuck close by and followed him right to the door. She was obviously feeling insecure about their bond because of the newcomer into their social circle.

"It's alright, girl. Just give me a minute," he said to her before retreating into the house, leaving the door open so she could see him. He gathered some food for himself and then headed back outside.

"We haven't had a day this busy since the breakdown," he commented, plopping down on a chair and elevating his feet. He rested his weapon against the wall next to him.

The anxious raptor curled up beside him, resting her chin on his muscled thigh. It looked uncomfortable but then that had never stopped any dog from trying to get some sleep and be as close as they could to their master. Why should a raptor be any different?

Back when he'd lived in Africa he'd always kept a Ridgeback or two around. They were excellent hunting dogs, having the capabilities of both sighthounds and scenthounds. They made good companions too. A lot of dogs excelled at one or the other, hunting or companionship, but the special ones were both. They had that extra intelligence and drive that made them more aware of their surroundings and attuned to their master. They were good hunters because they were smart and calculated about it, and they made better companions because they were more perceptive. Priscilla had that potential.

He finished his beans, and sat the can aside.

"You haven't had anything to eat today," he observed, stroking her head as he spoke. She cracked one yellow eye open, huffed out a breath, squirmed around a little to make herself more comfortable and tried to get back to sleep. "We'll hunt in the morning," he told her softly, "and then I've got something to show you." He found he was looking forward to introducing Priscilla to the young raptors, it would be good for her. He'd have to be more careful with her after that though. Once she was back with others of her own kind she'd be less trusting of him, and that in turn would make her more dangerous to be near. For now though he'd just enjoy the fact that an elite predator deemed him worthy to be an equal. The thought of the loss of their closeness made him a little sad but he knew that was just the way it was with animals. Profound connections were often fleeting, especially when dealing with wildlife. People tended to project human emotions onto animals that simply weren't there. They didn't love for the sake of love, if they were capable of love at all. He was sceptical about most creature's ability to do so, but some did. Christian had. As a young man in England the story of Rendall and Bourke had captivated him. Come to think of it, that may even have been the beginning of the end with the first Priscilla.

By and large, animals shared connections with those they could trust, those that took good care of them, those that they needed. Once she didn't need him anymore, their relationship in its current form would be over. He'd raised and released enough orphaned big cats to know that.

"But that's tomorrow..." he sighed, shifting around a little himself to find a more comfortable position before closing his eyes to get some sleep.

xxx

When morning dawned Muldoon was stiff and sore. His exertions yesterday had his abdominal muscles aching with every movement, his shoulder wasn't much better. So much for taking it easy. At least his knees had scabbed over nicely with no sign of infection. The last thing he felt like doing was heading out for a hunt but he had promised to help Priscilla find a meal.

After informing Wu, who had indeed spent the night in the bunker, and checking in with the baby raptors who were safe in their cosy brooder, he took the lazy option and climbed into a jeep. Driving slowly along the road towards the paddocks, calling to the raptor to follow him. She kept up easily with the slow pace.

He brought the vehicle to a halt just short of the area he'd last seen the Gallimimus in, grabbed his gun for protection, and covered the last short distance through the trees on foot.

The Gallimimus were grazing a few hundred yards further down the field than where they'd last been. He opted not to shoot one, wanting instead to let Priscilla practice her skills. In a moment of bittersweet realisation Muldoon knew he really was preparing her for the day he'd leave. It was for the best though, she'd be better off with her own kind.

In the past Priscilla been the diversionary member of the hunting party. He knew that from the one hunt he'd seen the old pack orchestrate. In that particular attempt she'd distracted the prey while the big one attacked from the side. He remembered it vividly because he'd been that prey. He was thankful their roles had been modified.

"You take this one," he said to her, holding his hand up in the stay gesture before stepping slowly from cover and giving the Gallimimus time to adjust to his presence. They watched him warily as he circled around in front of them. With all eyes on him, he dropped his hand and Priscilla suddenly appeared from nowhere, slicing her deadly talons across the belly of an old dinosaur on the edge of the flock. It screeched and tried to run despite its disembowelment but Priscilla leapt up onto it, clamping her jaws around its neck and riding it to the ground as it fell. The rest of the omnivores flocked and ran, he waited for the stampede to pass before going to the kill site.

The struggling Gallimimus was considerably larger than the raptor, and as it continued to kick violently he worried that its powerful hind legs might injure her as she attempted to finish the kill without a pack to back her up. He pulled out his hunting knife as he approached the battling dinosaurs and swiftly stuck the blade into the dying Gallimimus' heart to finish it off. In the moment before he drove the blade in, he shut his thoughts out completely, focusing solely on the physical action required. The thin intercostal muscle provided little resistance against the sharp blade, and the instant he felt it pierce through into the chest cavity he came back from that empty place with a rush of adrenaline. Blood gurgled from the wound as the animal's spine arched back in a tell-tale sign of death. With that killer blow, the furious kicking slowed and finally ceased.

Muldoon watched with satisfaction as Priscilla tore chunks of flesh from the fresh carcass and devoured them. Considering his vast experience with predators, it was all too easy to forget that this particular one possessed the temperament and capability for this level of savagery. She ate quickly, wolfing down as much meat as she could, as quickly as she could. It was an instinct to prevent larger predators stealing the entire kill. Something he'd seen countless times on the savannah when jackals or cheetahs made a kill in lion territory.

Still grasping his knife, he used it to go about cutting the limbs off the dead Gallimimus, while Priscilla continued to feed on the belly of the animal. Because he was the alpha he could get away with such behaviour, if Wu had tried such a thing on her kill she'd have likely gutted the scientist for dessert.

It was messy work, but nothing he wasn't used to and this early in the morning there weren't too many annoying insects about. The warm scent of fresh death wafted up from the exposed meat, the muscles still twitching as synapses fired for the final time. The blade of his hunting knife sliced easily through the flesh to the joints which he twisted and cracked to remove the limbs. Back at the compound he could find somewhere cool to hang the meat so they wouldn't have to hunt again too soon. Some of it would be good for the hatchlings too. Even though the dino's were now capable of breeding their number was not infinite and conserving them was the smart thing to do.

Suddenly the acrid smell of bile and fermentation filled his nostrils, indicating that the raptor had torn the Gallimimus' stomach. When dressing carcasses, perforating the stomach was a practice to be avoided at all costs but there was no point mentioning that to a hungry carnivore in search of a protein rich liver.

With no small effort, he loaded the heavy limbs into the back of the jeep while Priscilla finished her meal.

Dilophosaurs, or raptors of the feathered, avian variety, would make the most of the remainder of the kill and pick the bones clean.

The trip back was a little slower now that the raptor's belly was so full. Once they reached the compound she headed for the bungalow and curled up in her favourite spot on the porch. With her hunger satisfied, he knew she would sleep the rest of the morning away. It would give him time to catch up with Wu without upsetting her, and to check in on the hatchlings again. He wasn't looking forward to the first task so much, but getting to know the hatchlings a little better certainly wouldn't be as much of a chore.

**AN: Thanks again to everyone for reading and to those who have taken the time to review, I really appreciate it. **

**I just wanted to take a moment to address a couple of points in some reviews I've received. Something that a few people have asked about is raptor language. I don't really know anything about it. I remember something about raptor communication in Jurassic Park 3, I think? Jurassic Park is one of my two all-time favourite movies, but I'm not a massive fan of Lost World or JP 3, so I'm pretty unfamiliar with where they went with raptor behaviour in those. Anyway, at this stage I have no intention of there being an actual 'language', just vocalisations like all animals use. I see this story more as being about them sharing a bond of trust even though they have no way of directly knowing what the other is thinking. **

**One other thing a few people have mentioned is Jurassic World. I don't want to give the story away but I'll just say this, this story certainly has the potential to tie in with Jurassic World, we'll just have to see how it goes ;)**


	11. Chapter 11

Muldoon brought Wu with him to the lab in case the weak chick needed any medical attention. With him, he also brought some of the Gallimimus meat which he'd diced up into small pieces.

He'd cleaned up first though after Wu had informed him he smelled like a slaughterhouse and to be fair he had, being covered in blood and gore from the kill as he was.

Currently, the chicks looked quite happy under their heat lamps. They were warm-blooded and strictly speaking probably didn't need the lamps, but it would help them conserve energy and after their less than optimal start in life a little TLC wouldn't go astray.

He'd divided the brooder in two, housing the chick from the nest separately just in case the others decided to take advantage of her weakened state. Each time he checked in he expected to find her dead but so far she'd defied his expectations. This time was no different. She didn't chirp excitedly like the rest of the chicks but she was on her feet which was a good sign.

He offered them pieces of meat individually, making sure everyone got their fair share and being careful not to let their needle-like teeth nip him in the process.

They were easy to tell apart with their varied colourations.

The spotted one was a little smaller than the others but that didn't stop her from pushing to the front and making sure she got her share first. He'd have to keep an eye on that one.

The pale one seemed to be the most docile, he scooped it up and placed it in with the lone chick to keep her company while he was here to watch them. They didn't really pay any attention to each other, intent as they were on watching him in the hope of receiving more food.

Of the remaining two blotched ones, one was already bigger than the other. There would be a tendency to refer to it as the big one but he didn't want to go down that particular path again. He'd decided he wasn't going to actually name these chicks, he'd already broken his rule with Priscilla and wasn't going to repeat that. He wanted to keep his distance a little, especially as he'd be leaving them before too long.

He watched with amusement as the smaller, blotched hatchling crouched low and stalked her unsuspecting sibling from behind. The bigger chick was still watching him and the smaller one used the distraction to its advantage. It launched its attack, knocking the bigger chick off its feet and then the pair fell into a playful battle, nipping and clawing at one another with their miniature killing tools. It was incredible how ingrained their hunting instincts were and how quickly they began to exhibit the behaviours. They really were remarkable creatures and despite the failure of Jurassic Park he was glad Hammond's doomed vision had given him the opportunity to work with them.

That hadn't always been the case. Initially he hadn't wanted to come and work at Hammond's freak show but the first Priscilla had been right, game reserves ate money, and when the old man had offered to fund the Kenyan reserve for as long as he lived, it was an offer Muldoon couldn't refuse. He'd missed the dry heat of Africa, the red soil, the vast plains of the savannah and the familiar wildlife, but over time he'd grown accustomed to the dense greenery of the jungle, and admittedly the dinosaurs were a marvel.

Behind him Wu cleared his throat and Muldoon realised he'd become lost in thought as he watched the playful antics of the chicks. He turned to face the scientist, feeling a touch of satisfaction when he saw Wu's bruised face. That punch had been a good one.

"How do you plan on getting us off this island?" Wu demanded. Muldoon wasn't exactly sure when it had become his sole responsibility to rescue them, but apparently the scientist had deemed it so.

"I don't know. There are some things I need to get in order first."

What he needed right now was a safe place to introduce the chicks to Priscilla. Initially, he'd have to have a barrier between them in case Priscilla got any ideas about asserting her dominance. Maybe he'd just show her one first to get an idea of how she was going to react.

"C'mon you,' he said, scooping the pale chick up. It squirmed in his grasp, trying to escape and get back to its siblings. "C'mon, settle down," he soothed, covering its eyes until it stilled in the darkness. When he removed his hand and it remained calm. "There, that's it."

He cradled the baby to his chest and headed outside.

"Priscilla!" he called, the adult raptor trotted into view. "Come see what I've got."

She approached cautiously, noticing from his posture that he was holding something unusual.

"Look," he said enthusiastically, holding the hatchling out for her to investigate. She stretched her neck towards it, keeping her body as far back as she could. She sniffed over it, the young raptor watching her curiously. Suddenly it squirmed in his hands. Priscilla snorted at the sudden movement and jumped back, her lip curling in a snarl.

"Don't be like that," he told her, "she's just like you, only smaller." He took a step towards her but Priscilla backed up and began to pace agitatedly. This wasn't going as well as he'd hoped. She didn't look at all happy with the newcomer.

"C'mon, it's alright," he tried to tell her, taking another step forward, but she just grew more agitated, going as far as to actually growl at him. The chick growled and snapped its tiny jaws in reply. Muldoon decided to call the attempt off before it escalated too far and someone got hurt, namely him if Priscilla decided she wanted to put an end to the chick and he'd have to defend it. He held one hand up to stay Priscilla, while the chick did it's best to escape his grip, writhing and snapping in his other hand until managed to lock it's jaws around his finger. He ignored the pain, fearing a reaction to it might provoke Priscilla.

"Wu!" he called to the scientist who was watching from near the visitor centre. "Can you come take her?" In his peripheral vision he saw Wu hesitate, which was understandable but inconvenient.

"Please?" He said through gritted teeth. He held the chick out towards Wu, being careful to keep his eyes on Priscilla, who was watching the young dinosaur uneasily.

"You're mad if you think I'm going anywhere near her," Wu replied. One thing he could say for the man was that he knew how to make dealing with a tricky situation more difficult.

Muldoon decided to change tactics.

"If she snaps and attacks me, she'll be coming after you next."

That spurred the scientist into action, Wu was nothing if not self-serving. All he cared about was saving his own neck.

Slowly, Muldoon backed a little further away from the raptor, meeting Wu halfway to hand the chick over. Wu took it.

"Put it back in the brooder and I'll try to settle her."

Wu nodded, which indicated he was learning. Priscilla wasn't his biggest fan either and it was best for him to keep quiet in her presence. It was still too much though. Priscilla screeched and lunged forward, and Muldoon reacted just in time, throwing himself between the raptor and the geneticist who was now in possession of the chick. She halted her attack just in time to avoid colliding with him.

"Get inside!" he commanded, maintaining eye contact with the raptor as he instructed Wu. "I'll come get you when it's safe." Wu did as he was told.

With Wu and the chick out of harm's way Muldoon could focus on the distressed raptor.

She looked at him fearfully, though what she feared wasn't exactly clear. Did she think she'd be punished for her behaviour? She had no reason to, he'd never been harsh with her before. He reached up, she shied a little, but when he brought his hand down gently on her snout she began to relax. The least threating approach would've been to touch under her jaw, like he had the very first time, but by pressing down softly on the bridge of her snout he could comfort her and assert a little dominance, provided she didn't decide she'd had enough of playing subordinate to a man and lash out. He trusted their bond and took the risk.

Her rapid, shallow breaths slowed to a steady rhythm.

"There, that's better," he soothed, stroking her gently. "Now what was that silly display all about?" He spoke calmly, not letting his frustration show through. He'd hoped she'd take more readily to having another of her kind around but it didn't look like it was going to be that simple. Perhaps it was to be expected. Gaining her initial trust had been almost too easy, so he couldn't loose heart now regarding forming a new pack. Of course there were bound to be some hiccups along the way when dealing with intelligent and sensitive animals like raptors. Complex personalities as well as powerful instincts came into play.

The tension drained from her and she nuzzled closer, purring under his touch.

"It's for your own good," he explained to her, "you can't survive in the wild alone and you can't live a full life in a cage. Don't you want to be free and live like you're meant too?"

Of course she didn't understand what he was saying, but he thought it might make them both feel better to hear the words spoken out loud.

xxx

One-hundred and twenty miles to the east John Hammond was not ready to give up on his dream of bringing dinosaurs to the people of the world. In the time since the breakdown his sizable bank account had been very persuasive in convincing a search party to go back to Isla Nublar despite the saurian threat, and retrieve the most valuable piece of the puzzle. Dinosaur DNA was useless without someone to engineer the recreation process and head geneticist Henry Wu had disappeared somewhere between the lab and the dock.

**AN: Thanks so much for all your kind reviews! They really do encourage me to keep writing as fast as I can :)**

**And a big thank-you to TreasureHunterGirl! She puts up with a lot of crap from me regarding this fic. (BTW, if you're a Harry Potter fan who's into romances, head over to her profile page and check out her chapter fics. Start with Lily Potter and the Potions Professor. I promise you won't be disappointed.)**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Sorry it's been a while, I had to get some mushy romance stories out of my system before I could get back to the far more practical and sensible Muldoon. Right, now where were we? Ah yes, an insecure raptor, an annoying geneticist and pack of baby dino's to deal with...**

The last couple of days had been a balancing act. Muldoon had been dividing his time between Priscilla, the rat pack and unfortunately Wu. Priscilla was by far the easiest to deal with. She put the fewest demands on him, wanting only to stay by his side. The baby raptors weren't too bad either, at the moment they only required regular feeding, but before too long they would need more space to develop both physically and socially. They'd begun to grow quite rapidly with the proper nutrition.

The nursery pens for the raptors were close by, when they were ready he'd move them out there. It had been easier for him to raise raptors here on Nublar, rather than down on Sorna with the rest of the juvenile dinosaurs. He'd liked to keep them nearby because raising raptors was much more involved than raising herbivores as the mental development of predators was far more complex. That was a product of evolution because of the means by which they survived. In the wild social structure was important to a thriving pack, individuals needed to understand one another to coordinate successful hunts. In captivity that development was hindered and he'd liked to keep an eye on them to make sure inhibited natural behaviours didn't become too skewed. This batch would be different though. They were going to get the chance to be free and after the disastrous introduction of the big one into the original pack that had to be a good thing. Raptors were obviously creatures that needed plenty of space.

As he watched them play he pondered how the group hierarchy would work in this particular pack. He didn't know how a complete raptor pack would function, having never worked with male raptors. Would the pack be patriarchal, matriarchal or ruled by an alpha pair? As far as he knew all the chicks were female but if the sex change theory held true and he had to guess, he'd say the pale one which was already exhibiting frog characteristics in the form of it's coloration, would be the one that would end up male if any of them did.

Increasingly he was getting to know their personalities. The pale one didn't start any fights but it finished them. The spotted one wanted to be in charge but didn't have the physical strength to back up her ambition. The smaller blotched one ran her own race but if anyone came into her personal space she made sure to let them know it was unappreciated.

The bigger blotched one was fairly laid back, and the little one, who ran with the rest of them now that she'd regained her strength, was a little way behind her siblings in terms of size and physical strength, but she had a fighting spirit and appeared determined to keep up with the rest of them. She'd taken a particular shine to the bigger blotched one, perhaps because of it's easy-going nature, and followed it closely, but if any of the others approached her she made sure to let them know she wasn't a pushover.

As he'd become more familiar with them he'd realised that not one of them was a true submissive, not like Priscilla. And with that realisation another had come; that the fear he'd seen in her eyes the day he'd introduced the pale chick to her was based upon rejection. She was the bottom of the ladder and he was the top. For every other member he added to the pack the distance between them would grow. And if she wasn't going to accept the babies, he'd have to continue to keep their care separate and that meant that what she feared had already begun. Time he'd normally have spent with her was dedicated to them now.

Priscilla's submissive nature wasn't a bad thing, it had proved her saving grace in the past. It was what had stopped the big one from killing her when she'd been introduced to the pack. If Priscilla had been any more assertive, she'd be dead now.

He wondered then if her submission was a matter of necessity rather than something ingrained in her personality. Maybe if she'd learned submission she could be taught dominance?

Dealing with all of them was a delicate balancing act but getting it right was a challenge he enjoyed. The intrusion of the scientist into the mix was not.

"What are we doing? We need to figure out a way off this island."

Muldoon had heard all this before. Wu made constant demands about leaving the island, but as far as he could tell made no conscious effort to do anything about it. There was no communication with the mainland, the raptors having destroyed the control panels at some stage before or during their battle with the Tyrannosaur. Deciding that the best way to avoid another pointless argument was to vacate the premises Muldoon declared; "I'm going to take the raptor for a run. If you don't want to be stuck here I suggest you follow me back to your house now." Without waiting for an answer he slung the SPAS over his shoulder and strode off, predictably with the scientist in tow.

They walked in silence for a while but invariably they fell to arguing again.

"Look Muldoon," Wu said, sounding like a broken record, "I've had enough of this messing around."

"Oh you have, have you? Perhaps you should have considered that before you created them..."

"You can't be serious? They're just animals. I was paid to do a job and I did it. It's as simple as that."

"There's nothing simple about this. Don't you feel any responsibility at all for what you've done? You're the one who tore them out of time and brought them to life. They didn't ask to be born. Can you really just walk away and leave them to their own devices now?"

"What are you suggesting? That we stay on this island forever?"

"No, of course not, but trying to give them their best chance of survival can't hurt, can it?"

"That depends on whether or not we get eaten in the process."

They'd arrived at Wu's excessive house. Muldoon made no effort to keep the scorn he felt towards him for his complete lack of compassion out of his parting comment.

"Wouldn't that be a shame?"

He marched off, leaving the scientist to roll in piles of cash, or murder defenceless mice, or do whatever other disgusting and heartless things he did when he was alone.

After depositing the insufferable Wu at the mansion, Muldoon climbed into a jeep. He felt much better away from the other man's presence. Free of any demands, he could relax for a while and spend some much needed time with a far more agreeable companion.

"Come on Priscilla, let's see if you can keep up." He put the jeep in gear and hit the gas. She broke into a steady jog, following the vehicle as he'd hoped she would. He gave her a minute or two to warm up before he pressed the pedal harder under his foot. She responded to the increased speed and picked up her pace, running faster than he'd ever seen her go before. Her captivity hadn't allowed her this freedom and she appeared to be revelling in the opportunity to use her body uninhibited and to it's full potential. She raced along beside him and stretched her stride out to overtake the vehicle.

She was incredible to watch, a finely tuned and optimal predator, superior to any animal that existed today. He drove until they ran out of road.

Their outing lead them to the dock. Muldoon intended to leave a sign of some sort in case anyone showed up. Not that he believed they would but the token effort would shut Wu up for the time being. He exited the vehicle and scanned the area, looking out over the blue-grey waves of the Pacific Ocean, once he was satisfied the surrounding jungle was clear. Out on the water he spotted something. The longer he watched the more certain he became that it was an approaching vessel.

It was supposedly what they had been waiting for but the sudden apprehension that seized him was completely at odds with that notion.

He had to make a decision. Did he wait and see who it was? Or did he head back to the compound now? If he stayed, he'd be rescued. It seemed like the obvious thing to do except for the fact that he didn't know the intentions of the newcomers. If they were Hammond's people, seeking to reclaim the island, they would not stand for a free range raptor. Priscilla was going to end up back in a cage or worse if he didn't get her hidden before they arrived. Even in the unlikely event that they were strangers who'd found the island by chance, hanging around to meet them with Priscilla present wasn't a good idea. If he did choose to go, to hide the raptor for her own good, these people might turn around and never come back. He might be stuck on the island permanently, or for a very long time at least. It all came down to one thing, a question he had to ask himself. Was her freedom worth the risk of potentially being left behind again?


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Apologies for taking so long with this update. Hopefully the next one (and there definitely will be a next one) won't take as long. Thanks for sticking with Muldoon and Priscilla. Enjoy!**

Muldoon pulled up outside the visitor centre with a screech of tyres.

He had to get all six raptors hidden and he had to convince Wu to keep his mouth shut. He knew which would be the easier of the two tasks, even with Priscilla gunning for the youngsters.

He jumped out of the jeep and headed towards the visitor centre on foot. Priscilla was with him and she pranced anxiously about, picking up on his restless state. His racing thoughts about what to do with the young raptors were interrupted when he came across an odd scene.

Up ahead, completely out in the open, was Wu. Why in Heaven's name he'd exposed himself so, Muldoon had no idea but there he was facing off against a truly formidable foe; a Dilophosaur, it's frill on full display as it hissed wildly. Admittedly it was only a foot high, he didn't even know if it's spitting range would reach the scientists eyes. One swift kick would've sent the poisonous little creature flying but Wu was panicking again. No wonder the Dilophosaurs had been hard to spot lately, they'd been off secretly nesting somewhere in their dense jungle enclosure.

"Alright there, Wu?" Muldoon called, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice.

Wu's head snapped up.

"Robert, thank God! Help me!"

For a moment Muldoon wondered if he should let Wu deal with this threat on his own, the experience might prove to be character building for the cowardly scientist but they didn't really have time for that.

"Okay. Cover your eyes. We've got this."

The small but vicious Dilophosaur had Priscilla's complete attention. She'd dealt with enough of them now to know that they were trouble. Muldoon issued a simple command.

"Sic."

She crossed the distance swiftly and clamped her jaws around the young dinosaur shaking it furiously until it ceased to fight back. She tossed it's limp body aside and let out a barking call.

Muldoon was impressed, Wu not so much. He just had an even bigger threat to face now.

Muldoon didn't have time for his dramatics.

"Come on, inside. Quick." He didn't have to say it twice for the geneticist to hop to, despite his usual contrariness he wasn't willing to risk being left alone with the raptor.

They quickly made their way to the nursery.

"What were you doing outside anyway?" Muldoon enquired as he searched for an appropriate container to transport the young raptors.

"The power failed. I was coming to check on the chicks." The news that the power stations had finally given up the ghost was secondary to Muldoon's astonishment at Wu's thoughtful consideration.

"You were?"

"After all the effort we've put into them, it seemed like the logical thing to do." There it was, logic not compassion. He wasn't sure why he'd expected anything else.

Muldoon continued his search and successfully procuring a carry cage he thrust it at the other man.

"Hold this."

Muldoon opened the darkened brooder, now devoid of warmth and light and hastily caught the scurrying youngsters one by one to load them into the cage.

"What are you doing?" Wu asked.

Muldoon faltered. It was a good question. What the hell _was_ he doing? He'd meant to transfer them to the outdoor runs to get them out of the centre where people might come looking but that was just trading one cage for another. The arrival of these people might be the only chance he got to leave Nublar and he couldn't waste it, but he couldn't abandon the chicks either. Now that they existed, brought into the world unnaturally by the hands of men, he felt a duty of care towards them.

"What's the lifespan of a raptor?"

"I don't know but my best guess would be similar to modern day warm-blooded predators like big cats, so maybe fifteen to twenty years? But if they're more like reptiles it could be much longer. Why?"

"There's a boat on it's way."

"What? Who?"

"I don't know."

"You didn't wait to find out?" Wu snapped.

"I couldn't risk it with the raptor there."

"There was an obvious solution. Didn't you take your weapon?"

"We're not having this argument again. Shooting her is not an option."

"So what are you going to do?"

It was no good. There was only one thing he _could_ do...

"Set them free," Muldoon decided. He'd done the best he could by them, they'd have to make it on their own now. In the end, they were just animals. "You stay here. I want to get them as far away from the centre as I can before the others get here."

"Couldn't we leave them here and meet the boat at the dock?"

"We could if we knew what they wanted." Depending on why these newcomers had come to the island, whether that was to search for survivors or more likely to salvage what they could for Hammond, Muldoon could lie about what had happened here. He could tell them all the raptors were dead, they would have no reason not to believe that. Surely a free-roaming Tyrannosaur and a jungle full of Dilophosaurs would be deterrent enough for anyone stupid enough to think of resuming operations.

"We've got a chance to leave now," Wu pressed, clearly uneasy at the prospect of being left alone again. "Shoot them all and be done with it!"

Muldoon ignored that comment and scooped up the cage full of young raptors.

"Not a word about these raptors to anyone," he warned. "I won't be long."

xxx

Muldoon chose a spot in the jungle west of the visitor centre. He'd tried to take into consideration everything the raptors would need, like hunting grounds, a water source and suitable jungle for protection. The location he'd chosen wasn't entirely ideal but he was making this up as he went. The arrival of the boat had left no time for him to prepare as he would've liked.

He opened the cage and coaxed the tiny, young raptors out. They looked cautiously about, scenting the air and cocking their heads to the side with each unfamiliar sound they heard. Even the green grass under their feet was something to be regarded with cautiousness. They looked very small and helpless out here in the wild but velociraptors had survived and thrived for four million years without the assistance of man. Admittedly these little ones didn't have the protection of a complete pack but they did have one fierce and loyal adult to watch over them.

"They're your responsibility now my lovely," he told Priscilla. She watched him attentively.

He felt a certain sadness at their parting but what else could he do? He couldn't take her with him and he couldn't stay here. He wasn't unfamiliar with the feeling. He'd released animals into the wild before. Creatures that he had raised from infants, and in the case of lions spent years preparing for reintroduction to the wild, but the day always came when one had to let go. In a way this was sooner than he had anticipated, though he'd never really known if or when a rescue might take place, but still the moment was here. He'd hoped for more time to get Priscilla used to her new pack mates, especially taking into account her initial reaction but he'd just have to trust that her instinct to form a pack and her fear of isolation would be enough to make her bond with them. She had always been the gentlest of all the raptors he'd dealt with so he was hopeful.

As the chicks grew rapidly bolder in their new surroundings, chasing dragonflies and play fighting with one another, Priscilla paid no nevermind to them. It was as though she sensed the significance of the occasion. Like she knew this was goodbye.

He reached out to touch her one last time. She purred softly as he stroked her neck.

"This is it, girl. Time for you to prove what kind of raptor you can be." Not that she hadn't already done that, she'd saved his life more than once. From preventing the Dilophosaur attacking him way back in the beginning to rescuing him during their first unsuccessful hunt, she had shown her worth. He owed his life to her. "Thank you."

It was with a heavy heart that Muldoon turned away from one of the most incredible animals he had ever had the privilege to work with and it was only the fact that he'd experienced this feeling of last minute uncertainty in the past which allowed him to do so.

Before he had even taken a step he felt something catch in his shirt sleeve and looked down to see three claws tangled in the khaki material. For a moment it really made him question his resolve. What did he have to go back for? Wasn't his closest friend right here? But he was a man and she was a dinosaur and they belonged with their own kind.

She pressed the top of her head into his back, trying to remain as close as she could. The gesture was deeply touching. He realised he'd developed a profound bond with this animal. It was a level of trust and devotion that couldn't be reached with such fickle creatures as humans but now he had to let it go for the good of them both.

"Come now, Priscilla. Don't make this harder than it needs to be."

He turned to face her once more, looking into her clever, yellow eyes. Eyes which possessed an awareness above the level of most animals but still an animal nonetheless and he was going prove the difference between men and beasts right here and now by using her faithfulness against her. He issued one final command.

"Priscilla, stay."

**AN: Thanks so much for reading and as always, reviews are appreciated :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: This chapter marks a turning point in the story. If you're thinking about jumping ship, now would be the time to do so. The last chapter works as a conclusion of sorts if you want it to. If however you want more, stick with me and I reckon we're about halfway there. Of course I hope everyone will read on but I know I'm being super slow with updates so I wanted people to have a satisfactory out option too. Thanks so much to everyone who's been reading and especially to those who've been reviewing. Hopefully you're all still with me, now let's get on with the show... **

Muldoon pushed all thoughts of Priscilla to the back of his mind. There was nothing to be done for her now, the decision had been made. He had to move on to the next chapter of his life.

When Muldoon returned to the compound to search for Wu he found that the scientist was missing. Something about his disappearance didn't feel right. Everything was quiet. There was no sign of a struggle or anything to indicate that anyone else had been here, human or otherwise. As he looked around the empty nursery he noticed a conspicuously placed piece of paper. He sat his SPAS down and picked the note up to examine it; **Your secret is safe with me.**

Son of a bitch!

What was the last thing he'd said to Wu? _Not a word about these raptors to anyone..._

No, no, no... What had he done? He'd given Wu the perfect opportunity to betray him.

Muldoon dropped the note and raced out the visitor centre, sprang into the jeep and tore off towards the dock, following the fresh tyre tracks left by the fleeing scientist. He drove as fast as he could, praying that he wasn't too late.

Muldoon arrived at the dock in time to see the boat shrinking towards the horizon. Nearby was the abandoned vehicle Wu had used for his clandestine departure. The sneaky bastard must've taken off the second Muldoon walked out the door.

As he powerlessly watched the boat disappear and considered the position he'd put himself in, he couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Wu might be right. While he'd been gallivanting around playing with baby dinosaurs Wu had seized the moment and taken his chance at rescue. It was the sensible thing to do.

Muldoon felt like a fool. And now because of his sentimentality he was doomed to be stranded on this godless island forever. Wu had made that quite clear in his note. He would keep quiet about the raptors, which included the fact that an idiotic game warden happened to be stranded with them. He couldn't believe how stupid he'd been. What was he thinking? Putting the welfare of animals before his own wellbeing. Human lives were more valuable than those of animals, he knew that. Everyone knew that. He should never have put them first.

What in the name of Asa was he supposed to do now? It seemed unlikely that anyone would be returning to the island anytime soon. Wu had obviously claimed to be the only survivor; presumably the rescuers would have waited if he hadn't.

There was only one thing for it. Muldoon climbed into the jeep and headed back towards the compound. He briefly considered lighting a signal fire but there was nothing that would burn effectively in the dense, damp jungle... except a jeep. He slammed the brakes on and ran back to where Wu had left the second jeep. He could blow it up. That would leave him with only one working vehicle but hopefully his plan would work and he wouldn't need it.

He soaked a rag in fuel from a jerry can and stuffed it in the fuel line. Then he poured fuel all over the vehicle and made a trail to a safe distance away before lighting it with a flare. (A gun to go with the flare might've been nice...) The flames quickly sprang to life, racing along the ground and engulfing the jeep, burning hotly until they reached the fuel tank and then the whole thing exploded.

Muldoon gazed out to sea as fiery debris rained down around him and hoped it would be enough.

xxx

A cricket chirped as the light began to fade. Muldoon continued to gaze out at the empty horizon in vain. More crickets joined in the chorus as the minutes ticked by, until a more sinister chirp issued from the trees, stirring Muldoon from his reverie.

It was inevitable that the sound from the explosion would draw in curious predators. He went to retrieve his gun from the jeep as a precaution but as he reached for the weapon he realised he'd left it behind in the visitor centre in his haste to follow the treacherous scientist.

A burst of anger flared through him at his own stupidity once more. How could he have forgotten his weapon? It was unacceptable. There was nothing for it but to resign himself to his ill fate and return to the compound.

He climbed into the surviving jeep and turned the key, then drove back west.

As he made his way along the narrow road he decided on a change of tactics. His new plan involved retrieving his weapon and then raiding the old man's liquor cabinet. He resolved it was the best plan he'd come up with in days but a forty foot spanner sporting a mouthful of dagger-like teeth was thrown into the works when he coasted to a stop on the edge of the compound.

Deja vu seemed to be the order of the day. Not only had he been stranded on the island once more, but he'd driven into the compound to find the Tyrannosaur nosing about. Now all he needed was Priscilla to appear on the other side of the clearing and he was close to having his worst day ever.

He heard an unfamiliar raptor vocalisation issue from the edge of the forest and looked across to see Priscilla. The noise she'd made was one he'd never heard from her, or any raptor, before. It was a low sort of clucking sound.

For a split second he had half a mind to leave her to it, she was the reason he'd missed the boat after all but the thought was gone as quickly as it came when a wave of guilt washed over him. She wasn't to blame. He wasn't really angry at her, he was just frustrated at the whole situation.

A rumble from the Tyrannosaur reminded him of what was at stake here and he focused on getting both himself and the raptor out of this current predicament alive.

The key to distracting a Tyrannosaur was movement, and there was only one moving part in this equation he was willing to sacrifice. He wheeled the jeep around, stuck it in low range, blew the horn and stealthily abandoned ship. The sound of the horn was successful in drawing the big carnivore's attention and she followed along behind it, allowing him to slip into the visitor centre unnoticed. From there he retrieved his shotgun and then left the safety of the building to help a friend he should never have abandoned in the first place.

The scene that met him as he stepped outside didn't bode well.

The jeep lay on its side, the Tyrannosaur apparently having grown tired of it quickly when she'd discovered nothing edible amongst the metal and rubber.

He quickly scanned the area and saw Priscilla watching him from the edge of the jungle. He gave the stay signal but she disobeyed the command, and he knew he had broken her trust with his abandonment.

He took a few quick steps forward when he realised she was heading in the direction of the Tyrannosaur and shouted at her to stay. For a moment she hesitated, and he thought she would obey him this time, but his voice had drawn the attention of the Tyrannosaur and she turned towards him. Immediately Priscilla perceived the threat and surged forward, launching herself at the big dinosaur.

She sprang at its left side, landing high on its flank, her talons sinking deep into its flesh, while she screeched and tried to attack it with her teeth. She was completely outmatched in size and strength, the Tyrannosaur probably seeing her as nothing more than an irritation. Muldoon watched on fearfully as it swung its great head around and snapped its fearsome jaws, only just falling short of crushing the raptor. He acted on instinct shouldering his weapon and firing directly at the Tyrannosaur's head. It was a dangerous shot to take with Priscilla in the firing line but the alternative was waiting around to see her eaten alive and that wasn't an option. He didn't wait to see if he'd landed an effective shot before he was firing off another. At least one of his shots must've hit its mark because the gigantic reptile ceased her attack and staggered. He looked up and saw blood trickling from her eye socket where the bullet must have entered, it was a fortunate shot that no doubt had hit her brain. Time seemed to slow as the gigantic reptile lost her footing and tumbled over. For a second he felt elated but in the moment before she crashed to the ground his relief was overridden by dread as he caught a glimpse of a raptor tail being flung out of sight, obscured by nine tonnes of meat and bone.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: So sorry about the wait, I have no excuses except that I'm a terrible person. Hopefully you can enjoy this new chapter and hopefully the next one won't take so long. Thanks to everyone who's still reading :)**

Nine tonnes of muscle, sinew and bone hit the ground with enough force to cause a small earthquake. What chance did a 70 pound raptor have of survival underneath all that? Muldoon's heart almost pounded out of his chest as he raced as fast as he could around the mountain of flesh, bracing himself for the inevitability of Priscilla's death. He felt horribly guilty about the way things had been left between them and he could never make that right now. Priscilla deserved better than the ingratitude he'd shown her.

As he skidded to a halt, he was utterly relived to find Priscilla intact, staggering to her feet on the other side of the dead giant. She looked shaken and unsteady but relatively unharmed considering she'd just tussled with one of the most formidable creatures to ever walk the earth.

He rushed forward to help her, scanning for any signs of injury. There was no blood that he could see, though it was getting quite dark, but one of her arms hung limply by her side. Any injury to a predator, however minor, could prove fatal if it inhibited their ability to hunt. Raptors used all their limbs to grip prey. Unassisted it would prove a heavy blow to her chances of survival but Priscilla was lucky in that she didn't have to rely on her abilities alone. They were in it together now.

"There's my girl," Muldoon soothed, running his hand along her injured arm to better assess the damage. A fracture would heal given time, a complete break would be bad news. He couldn't feel any bones out of place but it was obviously painful to touch. She snarled and jerked back out of his grip.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he apologised, not wanting her to think he was the cause of her distress. Injured animals were dangerous and unpredictable and he was being reckless because of his attachment to her. "I won't touch it again," he offered, holding his hands up in a placating gesture, fiercely hoping that he hadn't broken their bond beyond repair.

She kept her distance, drawing laboured breaths and staring at him in an accusatory manner, emanating more hurt and betrayal than any animal should've been able to project. He felt suitably wretched about it all.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," he told her, unsure of how to convince her. It wasn't like she could understand what he was telling her. It was going to take time and patience. Actions would speak louder than words.

Priscilla pulled her gaze away from him and looked towards the fallen Tyrannosaur, issuing a victorious snort.

"Yeah, you fixed her," he allowed with a smile. If Priscilla wanted this victory she could have it. Muldoon was just grateful she was alive.

There wasn't much he could do for her in terms of medical treatment. A light sedative to combat the pain and help her sleep was about all he could offer. Animals naturally had high pain tolerances, but just for tonight, after the stressful events of the day as well as her injury, he thought she could use the calm the drug would provide.

He had a kit in the jeep, the one that the Tyrannosaur had destroyed, but the kit should be salvageable. It wasn't too far away.

"Priscilla, st-" he began, but stopped himself. "Just wait, okay?" he tried instead, before running over to the jeep and retrieving the kit as well as a flashlight.

When he returned she was wandering off in the opposite direction towards the jungle.

"Priscilla, wait!" he called after her. Seeing her turn her back on him was history in reverse and probably no more than he deserved. It still hurt though and he was worried for her safety in her injured state. They needed to stay together.

She looked back at him and let out a sharp cough, the vocalisation used between pack members to affirm bonds and he realised she wasn't walking away from him but leading him towards something. Something he'd forgotten about with his concern for Priscilla's safety.

He flicked the flashlight on and followed after her.

When he reached her she leaned down and nosed through the undergrowth as though she was searching for something and he caught a glimpse of two sharp yellow eyes peering up from the ferns. He moved the light beam around, picking out more shapes hidden on the forest floor. It was the hatchlings who were flattened out, perfectly still save for their clever eyes that darted about scanning for signs of approaching danger and he realised the noise she'd made earlier was an alarm call. A mother's warning.

"Clever girl," he told her, giving her a friendly pat on the snout. Once again he was struck by the power of instinct. Even though she'd been raised by humans something deep inside told her to warn the younger pack members of imminent danger. "You can tell them to come out now."

Priscilla let out a low purr, as though she understood his request.

The baby raptors emerged cautiously from their hiding places. They were the most subdued he had seen them and that was probably because they were exhausted from following Priscilla all the way back from the release site. He counted them off as they emerged, miraculously all five of them had made it. The spotted one, the pale one and the three blotched ones, which included the little one. He picked up the two smallest ones, the little one and the spotted one, and encouraged the rest to follow him.

Eventually, they made it back to the bungalow. It was getting late. They all needed to eat and then bunk down for the night. He divvied up the last meat from his and Priscilla's latest hunt for the raptors, opting not to feed them meat from a carnivore even though there was probably enough on the Tyrannosaur to feed them for a year.

Now that the youngsters had full bellies Muldoon turned his attention to Priscilla again. He wasn't a vet but he'd been taught by one how to administer these types of drugs for ease of handling big cats. The doses for dinosaurs he'd had to figure out on his own.

He drew a dose up and punched the needle into Priscilla's neck. Like the hunting dogs he'd kept back in Kenya, she didn't fight the medical treatment. Intelligent animals like dogs and raptors almost seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to receiving treatment like this. Usually boisterous hunting dogs would stand perfectly calm and still to be stitched up with no anaesthetic after a run in with a boar's tusk because they accepted that the treatment was necessary. They knew it was what they needed to heal. They might not allow just anyone to do it, but for a trusted handler they did. The thought eased some of Muldoon's apprehension about their relationship. Almost immediately he could perceive her relaxation. He could've convinced her to come inside in her sedated state but waking up in the unfamiliar confine would've been another abuse of her trust so he opted to spend the night outside as they had done before. He guided her down into a comfortable position.

"That's it, you've done enough today, you're allowed to sleep now," he soothed. She watched him with drooping eyes, she was obviously exhausted but he could also see that she was ready to let him take the lead again and he knew he could use her current weakness to rebuild their bond because more than anything she wanted the comfort and security of the pack. Bringing the hatchlings back with her was another demonstration of that. Being alone was the thing she feared most.

With her inhibitions lowered by the drug she was more likely to forgive and seek that comfort from him. As the dominant member of the pack it was up to him to decide what was best for her, and in the long run that was for her to accept him as leader. Being in control would allow him to make the best decisions for them all, and he needed her to follow instructions without hesitation.

The hatchlings were exhausted too but they didn't require any sedatives to help them sleep. A small distance away they piled together and quickly fell into deep, restful slumber.

In the open air of the night and surrounded by raptors, Muldoon felt surprisingly content considering the events of the day. He should've been furious about Wu's betrayal, and maybe in the morning he would be, but right now he felt like he was where he was supposed to be and that having his family safe and close was all that mattered.

Across the way he could just make out the shape of the Tyrannosaur carcass in the moonlight. It would begin to decay quickly in the humid, tropical environment and was sure to draw in scavenging Dilophosaurs. The morning would bring with it a whole new set of challenges surrounding the possible need to relocate. For tonight though, he'd deal with it by keeping the SPAS close. Then tomorrow, and every day after that, there would plenty of time to sort out the rest.

**AN: Well isn't that a relief? Just Muldoon and his trusty raptors once more. I think I might do a time skip for the next chapter just to get the story moving again. Thanks again for reading :)**


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